The Goddess of Death
by CDR. Grae
Summary: The Goddess of Death in the original MCU and myths, now replaced by a mortal girl from Earth who's just trying her best to survive in a war-torn universe. ... In which Hela being a big sister changes everything. ... (Self-insert/OC as Hela, Kind!Hela, Big sister!Hela, Rebirth)
1. The Beginning

**Summary: Hela Odinsdottir is not her original name, nor is it her first choice if she is truly reborn in the world of Marvel. However, if accepting it means growing up alongside her dear siblings and protecting her youngest brother from his horrible fate, then she will gladly wear this mask for as long as she lived. (Self-insert/OC as Hela, Kind!Hela, Big sister!Hela, Rebirth)**

 **A/N: I have always been fond of the big sister Hela idea. Especially if you think about what would happen if Thor and Loki has an older sibling who cares about them. Maybe that's the key to prevent every bad thing that happened in the MCU... or maybe not. There is only one problem though: I know that the real Hela would _never_ do that. Thus, this story is born.**

 **oOo**

 ** _"It is not denial. I am just selective about the reality I accept." - Bill Watterson_**

* * *

 **Chapter One:**

 **The Beginning**

* * *

She was just an ordinary woman – astute and efficient in her job, but sometimes brash in her decisions, according to her peers. In her free time, though, she loved watching her fair share of movies and was oddly fond of the superhero genre. There's just something nice about the fact that the world has someone to rely on whenever there's trouble, and no one else had perfected the superhero genre more than Marvel Studios. But Marvel was only a past time, a fleeting interest to make use of her spare time, and had no overall impact in her life whatsoever.

… All right, she partly lied. It was much more than a fleeting interest, but not really something she considers an obsession. She watched the movies, studied the lore and the theories, hummed the theme on random occasions, but she's not fanatical enough to read the comic books. To conclude, she was just an average fan.

Then came Thor: Ragnarok. She had been so excited, the trailer looked amazing, and she had always loved the Thor series out of all of the MCU movies. This was something she won't pass up, and so she saved money for the tickets and went to the premiere.

The movie was really good. She found herself praising Marvel for making the Thor series even better with this movie. Best of all, Loki was not the only interesting villain anymore (though he'll always remain her favorite), now there's Hela, the evil goddess of death who was also Thor and Loki's older sister (which surprised her when she first found out. After all, wasn't she Loki's daughter in the original myths?) She found it interesting that Loki now had someone he actually looked like in the family, and that someone was actually a legitimate child.

She enjoyed it immensely, and found herself wondering what exactly happened to Hela when Asgard was destroyed. Was she dead, or will she be back?

Turns out, that was the last coherent thought she had before everything went wrong.

At exactly the end of the movie, a hysterical man suddenly burst into the theater, screaming and waving around a gun, and shot her in the chest before immediately being shoved to the floor by security. But the damage had already been done. She - who had been sitting several seats and aisles away from the man and therefore, should not have been shot any more than the rest of the people in the room - could only conclude that either she's really unlucky or there was some other force at work.

Her adrenaline's still high after watching the movie, which explained why she did not entirely register what had happened until she was already lying on the floor, the impact and excruciating pain in her chest completely taking her by surprise. She had gasped and curled up, her throat and lungs filled with blood, her whole body trembling in agony.

All around her, people screamed and panicked, with only a few brave people staying to try to help her and call 911. She wished she could have remembered their faces, so that she may thank them for their help after she recovered, but the pain was too much. She soon succumbed to the darkness that was beckoning to her, the people shouting for her to "hold on!" fading until there is nothing left but blessed silence.

As she had said, Marvel was only a past time – a fleeting interest – and had no overall impact in her life whatsoever.

Why then, did it make an impact in death?

...

"Rise, young one,"

 **"Rise, young one,"**

"Rise, young one,"

"...and **instill** change **."**

...

...Pain.

Burning, raw, mind-numbing pain.

There was no air in her lungs, and yet she was alive and struggling. She gasped and tried hard to breathe in as much air as possible, but there was nothing. Only darkness.

She must have blacked out at some point, because the next thing she knew, she was gasping and crying as sweet, sweet air started to fill up her deprived lungs, her eyes uncontrollably leaking tears as she focused on breathing steadily and trying not to be sick.

 **'Breathe!'**

'I'm trying!' She almost cried before doing her best to focus on what the voices told her. Finally, the black slowly crept out of the edge of her vision until she could finally see, albeit through tear-filled and blurry eyes. Almost immediately, sound resumed and loud voices and some soft murmurs quickly assaulted her ears, causing her to scrunch up her face in frustration.

What the hell happened? Why does she feel so weak?

Panic built up when she discovered her eyelids felt unusually heavy, (Was she drugged? Drunk?) and it took an embarrassingly long moment before she could finally open them to find out where she was.

That's a mistake.

The first thing she registered was that everything her eyes gazed upon was so bright. It was in fact so bright and blinding that she found her eyes again leaking tears as she squeezed them back shut. In doing so, she was then highly aware when she felt her body being cradled by the warmest arms she'd ever felt, and she hesitantly opened her eyes again to meet a woman's kind face, her smile the most beautiful and radiant thing she'd ever seen.

The woman then murmured something, but the sound that came out of her lips were odd. However her voice, calming and kind that it was, soothed her enough for her to close her tired eyes and try to give in to the darkness once more.

"Vér munu kallhanar... Hela." What an odd sound she produced. It almost sounded like another language...

Suddenly, it felt like her brain whirred into action at the realization, and she could only gape when she almost physically felt her brain rearrange the sounds to translate the words into English:

 **"We shall call her... Hela."**

... What.

Her eyes snapped open, and so she saw how the kind woman handed her to the others with ease, as if she weighed nothing. Another woman then laid her on a table to clean and thoroughly inspect every inch of her, and so she got a front row seat when the woman lifted her tiny arms in the air to clean her sides and underarm.

Wait a minute, tiny?!

Her brain abruptly screeched to a halt as she tried to process the fact that a very short limb was attached to her own body, and that the limb has pudgy-looking hands, and tiny fingers. She tried to wiggle them, but found that the action took more effort than she anticipated.

She then promptly blacked out.

 **…**

She discovered almost immediately that crying took less effort than moving, and that it was also useful to express her utmost frustration and fear at the moment. Needless to say, she most likely panicked and frightened the maids and servants during the past several weeks.

Maybe that's why babies cry so much. She should know, especially with her actually reverted back to the body of one.

By the way, what the fuck?

She felt that was the only way to sum up the whole experience. She tried to sleep it off, thinking that maybe it was all just a super realistic dream and she was just incredibly drunk or on something, but she woke up again and it wasn't. going. away.

Sleeping it off and ignoring it didn't work, so she then realized that she would have to face the music sooner or later, so why not rip the hypothetical band-aid off now and deal with it?

All right, so a baby. She's now a baby. Also, her new name was Hela. Hela Odinsdottir, to be exact. A name also associated with a certain goddess of death she just watched a movie of. A name that for all intents and purposes, she's going to ignore for now. Everyone keeps calling her 'Princess' anyways, so it wasn't hard to forget.

Let her forget, even for just a little bit.

This is why at present, she was sat on a cradle and being slowly rocked to sleep by a tired maid. She didn't feel like sleeping though, since this was the first time she was properly awake for more than a few hours to properly process the situation.

First off, they kept calling her a 'Princess'. (Her translator brain usefully supplied the unknown word. She didn't really know whether to be worried or fascinated by her newfound ability.) The information she gleaned from listening and observing made it clear that she had been reborn into a royal, wealthy, and powerful family; judging by the titles and names bestowed upon her by the servants, her nursemaid, the guards, and the whole freaking kingdom when her new parents presented her to them.

(She tried hard not to think about how she had been scared shitless when she woke from a very long and nice nap to suddenly find herself presented before thousands of people like a piece of meat being dangled in front of hungry wolves. That memory was best left forgotten.)

Everywhere she turned – or been carried, if you want to be more specific – people would bow and murmur, "Your Grace", "Your Highness", or even, "Princess." If nothing else, that cemented the fact that she was reborn not just as an ordinary girl, but as royalty, and even a princess to boot! It was frankly very difficult to believe, and she first spent the next few days in shock.

And speaking of that, it didn't really take her long to realize that she had been reincarnated. After all, it was a bit hard to ignore when one's body had obviously reduced to an infant's, and that it looked like she ended up in a place where servants, warriors, and guards are still considered the norm.

However, this was just not something that should be possible. Reincarnation was just a thing used in stories or old myths. Unless there was a semblance of truth to those old myths. Was this what happened every time a person dies? He or she gets reincarnated into another life? Because she refused to believe she was the only exception to that rule.

Now, she would have been glad and even proud to say that she accepted this realization easily and with no fuss, but that would be lying. What really happened was that she experienced a full-blown panic attack; the kind that left her breathing hysterically and crying like no tomorrow as everyone around her panicked as well. All she could think of was that she was dead. Worst of all, she was killed while watching a movie, of all things. She had unwillingly left her family behind when they needed her the most, her whole life… everything was gone the moment that bullet pierced through her chest. There was no act of heroism, no last stand, she didn't even get a say in. She was just… dead.

It frankly was difficult to believe, and it was a good thing when she finally managed to fall unconscious from crying so much. It meant that she could escape thinking about it for a while longer.

The next time she woke, she felt her head being stroked by gentle fingers, and she looked up to see the same woman back when she first woke up with the kind smile that she now realized was her new mother. She was singing softly, the sound sweet and calming. Her blue eyes gazed down at hers lovingly, and she then found that she was quickly growing fond of her, even though this woman could never replace her first mother.

Her soft singing slowly lulled her to sleep, and that was when she realized that it was going to be okay. Reincarnation couldn't be so bad when she has this kind and loving woman to guide and help her back to her feet. Stories she read involving it usually presented challenges and hardships, sometimes even tragedies, but she felt that everything's going to be alright as long as she has this woman – her mother – by her side.

Growing up yet again, she realized that reincarnation was truly an extraordinary phenomenon, and one she did not expect to experience at all. It was something she only ever heard of in stories and movies. It wasn't real. However, while the realization was shocking, it was also something that she was extremely excited and curious about. After all, she was reincarnated as a real life _princess_ , so there was no denying that she was thrilled and very interested to learn more about this world and time she had been fortunate enough to have a second chance in.

Her old life was gone the moment the bullet embedded itself into her chest. She dearly misses her family, her friends, her life, even her boring job. But she knew it's time to move on. There was no use to dwell on the things that could not be. For one, she doesn't know how to go back. Besides, it probably wasn't wise to start telling people that she reincarnated. Knowing old times, she wouldn't be surprised if people started accusing her of being a witch or something.

She doesn't know why she was reincarnated, but it's best to make the most of it. And the fact that she was born a royal just made this so much better.

Every girl had dreamt of being a princess in her childhood. Especially when the Disney princess movies came out, and the fact that she had a chance to live that dream now was amazing. She would be the best princess there ever was, and would not be the type to wait for a man to rescue her. She could even be a warrior, mainly because being a typical princess was boring.

She will live this second life to the fullest, and the prospect both excited and terrified her.

With that decided, it didn't take long for her to try to learn and adapt to their ways.

The first thing she did was establish that while she's a child, she's mature. She had no desire to be coddled, or babied, or even, god forbid, breastfed. It was not hard; she already had the mind of a person in her twenties. But it took a lot of convincing before they finally accepted it. She was not an ordinary child.

After that, it didn't take long before she began trying to teach herself to walk and move properly again. Being unable to control your own limbs was a frightening experience, and one she did not wish to endure any longer than she had to. The first few attempts made her look like a dying eel, however, with constant practice and with age; she soon regained control of her motor skills. The look on her new mother and father's faces the first time they saw her walk towards them unsupported had been brilliant, to say the least.

It was also the first time she saw her father, Odin. And what a memory it was to see the literal King of the Gods being so worried when she accidentally tripped while trying to walk towards him. (The feeling of his strong but careful grip when he caught her still burned in her mind.)

That's the moment Hela decided to accept her new name and family. However, her title and the meaning of it, she still couldn't accept.

That was because she swore to herself that she would never end up disgraced and imprisoned in the underworld like the real Hela. Sure, she escaped in the end, but she cannot imagine living in literal Hel for who knows how many thousand years, all alone and surrounded by the dead, then escaping and being treated like a villain by her own family.

There was absolutely no way in hell she will take that lying down. She will change her future, and what better way to do so than by starting now?

...

With the acceptance of her name, 'Hela' finally decided that it was also time to learn more about this new world and time she resided in. Decision made, she toddled her way to find the library, all the while dodging and hiding from servants who would attempt to get her back to her room. It took her a long time, but she finally found it when she decided to trail behind a man with his nose stuck in a book. Following him in, she padded into the gigantic chamber full of towering bookshelves that looked even taller with her current size and gaped in disbelief.

Simply put, the room was huge. So huge, in fact, that it shouldn't even be called a room. It had three floors, with each the size and length of half a football field, and every inch and corner having bookshelves as tall as trees. The first floor was clearly a reading area where all the tables, chairs, and sofas were positioned and occupied by a few people (Hela found herself eyeing what looks like the fluffiest couch she'd ever seen that offered a view outside a tall and equally as elegant window.) The second and third floors consisted of massive bookshelves and the occasional sitting areas.

Staring at her surroundings, she almost forgot the reason she went here in the first place, and quickly hid as people walked past her position. If they found her here, she's sure she would be carried back to her rooms. Why else would a child sneak into a library unless she was lost?

Sneaking wasn't hard. The library was huge enough that even chairs could hide her whole body. All she had to do was sneak past everyone and hide behind one of the massive bookshelves. Grinning widely at her success, Hela proceeded to reach for the nearest book and opened it to a random page, where she quickly found a massive cinch in her plans.

The books were written in another language.

Eyes wide, Hela began pulling every book out of the shelf and opening them, with her eyes greeted by the same strange symbols written in the first book.

Of course. She's living in another realm entirely, it's bound to have a different language. Unfortunately, the symbols looked like runes. You know, the kind of things you find when it's the middle of the night and you ran out of things to search and somehow end up in websites about protection spells, incantations, and tarot cards? (Look, she had weird nights, okay?)

Apparently, her translator brain doesn't translate written things, only spoken ones.

She barely suppressed a groan. Knowing from experience, it was very difficult to learn foreign languages, but it looks like it's necessary so she could live properly in this world. The last thing she wanted was to become an illiterate. She had been planning to read books about this world by herself, but now she just had to ask her new parents to tutor her or something. It wasn't a big deal.

Nodding to herself, Hela grinned determinedly.

 **…**

Glancing furtively around the table, (she eyed her new parents' faces and features in particular; matching it to the MCU movies she watched in her mind's eye), she steeled herself.

"Father, Mother, I want to learn how to read."

Both her parents' eyebrows shot up in surprise at her sudden declaration over breakfast. She had been waiting for the right moment to ask as she pushed her food around (warm broth, thin and tender slices of meat from a boar so she could chew it easily, freshly baked bread, and fruit.) and saw her chance when there was finally silence around the table. Her mother - Frigga! Her excited brain supplied - sent an unreadable look at her husband, before smiling at her daughter kindly, "Are you sure you already want to do that? You're still quite young."

And she knew it's true. Judging by her body, she's probably only about two or three years old. But she can't wait that long! She nodded firmly, face determined. "I'm sure."

Her father - Odin...! her brain hesitantly supplied - sent a rare smile her way and her eyes widened. In all the time she had been here, her new father never sent anything her way but a passing glance. That made it clear that her new father was someone that's very hard to please. It frankly made her giddy just seeing him smile at her and chided herself for behaving like an attention-seeking puppy. She's too old for those things, geez.

"If she wants to learn, let her." Her father brought his attention back to his food and the papers covering his side of the table, her mother slowly following suit.

And that's that.

 **…**

It took a few days before they finally found an instructor.

Her teacher, an old woman called Vor, was stern, no-nonsense, but very wise. The moment they met, they immediately dived straight into the lessons without preamble, which was just the way she liked it. She never did liked wasting time. And the sooner she learned how to read, the better.

Vor looked confused at first when they first met and discovered that she would literally be teaching a baby, but Hela soon convinced her by introducing herself with enough formality and manners that it made her look like an extremely smart child, but also with enough mistakes that the instructor couldn't resist teaching her.

"Before we start, you must know that runes are not simply a language; it is an art. Every rune has meaning, importance – and when used in seidr – it has power."

She raised a hand automatically, even though it's just the two of them. "Excuse me, but did you just say 'power'?"

Vor immediately frowned, "We do not usually say 'excuse me,' it is informal. You say either 'pardon me' or 'I beg your pardon.'"

She blushed, forgetting her situation for a moment, and responded appropriately. "I beg your pardon, but did you mean magic power or metaphorical power? And what is a seidr?"

"Every rune possesses power. While it is part of our language, it is also considered as a tool for seidmadr and seidkona to channel their seidr. And as for your other question, seidr is an ability few Aesir possess that has the capability to alter destiny and reality itself. The King and Queen are known practitioners of it."

Her eyes grew wide at that information. "My Mother and Father have magic?! Can it be inherited?" She suddenly gasped, "Do I have it too?"

So many questions, and it just made her glad she decided to learn about this so early; at least the revelations are out of the way.

Vor only stared at her earnest face before hiding an amused smile, "That is something you have to find out for yourself, Your Highness."

Hela could only grin excitedly in response.

Gladly.

 **…**

For several years, she learned nonstop under Vor's tutelage. She quickly grew fond of the old woman. Vor was strict and no-nonsense, yes, but whenever she displayed her curiosity and determination to learn, she could just see a soft smile flashing underneath the harsh demeanor. She learned that Vor highly values those truly interested to learn which, according to her, was few and far between in this kingdom, which was comprised mostly of warriors and 'stubborn oafs'. Her words exactly. Though she was beginning to agree with the wise tutor.

Asgard was known as the home of warriors and soldiers, therefore all they wanted to do here was to go on adventures, spars, fights, and feasts. It was very monotonous, and she quickly found herself bored to tears. Only the lessons with Vor served as the highlight of her day.

According to her teacher, there were twenty-five runes in all, and learning about them and their different meanings and symbolism had been difficult, but at last she repeated them enough that she could probably recite them all in her sleep without fail.

Along with that, she also learned how to speak like a true royal. Speaking mostly comprises of formal words with almost no contractions. Vulgar words or expletives were also not spoken freely here, which caused her many problems in the early days. She even started speaking formally even in her own thoughts! It was all very strict and proper, but at the same time, learning it was interesting.

Though everything she learned weren't all positives, as she later found out.

Vor had been in the middle of one of her history lectures, mentioning several different stories about Buri (her great grandfather, as she had been told) who united the Nine Realms and preserved the peace, Bor (her grandfather) who defeated the Dark Elves army, and the adventures of her deceased uncles Vili and Ve when she finally couldn't take it anymore. She had slowly been growing very anxious ever since she found out her new identity. Was there a current god who presides over death? Who could possibly have the power to pull a soul from Earth and stick it to the infant body of Hela? Most of all, what was the state of Earth now?

There were no books she found that could answer her questions, and so her wise instructor was her last chance. She could only hope Vor doesn't think too deeply about it. Besides, something told her It seemed the right time to address these concerns. "Please excuse me, my lady, but I have some questions I was hoping you could answer." She then smiled sheepishly, "I apologize in advance because it isn't really related to the current topic, but it has been on my mind for several days now."

To her surprise, Vor suddenly straightened and visibly placed her full attention on her. "I always told you to speak your mind and ask questions, as that is a sign of intelligence. I certainly do not mind," She gestured for her to speak, "Ask."

All right... Hela steeled herself before blurting out the number one question that had been plaguing her. "What happens to us when we die? I know we get sent to either Valhalla or Hel, but how is that decided? Who decides it?"

She immediately knew she said the wrong thing when Vor didn't answer immediately as she always does and only stared at her in concern.

She shifted nervously.

"Why exactly would you ask about death?" Vor questioned in confusion, "You are still a child!"

"I know, I'm just curious, is all..." Hela laughed awkwardly.

The instructor just gazed at her a few seconds more before sighing, "Well, I did say to 'speak your mind', didn't I?" She murmured, before saying in a louder voice. "You are correct that we go to Valhalla and Hel after death, but there is also another place: Folkvangr."

Hela listened with rapt attention as Vor talked, "Valhalla is the place where all the great heroes and leaders who had been slain in battle go. The Valkyries, which are an elite group of women warriors serving under your father judge their worth before bringing those souls to Valhalla where they would feast for eternity. Folkvangr is another afterlife under Freyja. Freyja selects half of the souls of warriors to go to Folkvangr while the other half goes to Odin in Valhalla, though usually, Freyja only selects the souls of ordinary warriors and soldiers." Vor paused for a moment to drink some wine to soothe her parched throat, and Hela gazed at her expectantly.

"And what about the last one? Hel?" She inquired.

Vor frowned at her eagerness, "I would think you would be most interested to learn more about Valhalla, not Hel."

Hela stiffened as she realized her mistake, "Well... I'm just curious because... it sounds similar to my name! See: Hela and Hel." She emphasized the two words.

Her instructor seemed to believe her, at least. "I see. Well, Hel is not really a good place. It is where the souls of neither the honored or dishonored go. Those who do not perish in battle, who has not done any heroic or noteworthy deeds, and who died only because of sickness or old age go to Hel." Vor then frowned, "I am afraid I do not know who currently presides over that realm. Only the dead meet him or her, therefore, I consider it a bad omen to meet its ruler. However, there are rumors that its ruler is chosen among the Nine, and that person will then have the title 'Hel'. It is said that a Jotun is currently holding the position, though I would not put much basis on rumors."

Hela felt herself go pale at that information, and Vor immediately noticed, "You don't need to worry, I assure you your mother and father do not intend you any harm by naming you closely to that realm." She reassured, but Hela knew otherwise.

The real Hela did preside over Hel. In fact, she was imprisoned there by her own father. But now, Vor says Hel's ruler was actually chosen?

What if she was chosen in the end? What if she still ended up in there no matter what she changed?

What if it was unavoidable?

And just like that, her whole world came crashing down.

…

 **Thank you so much for checking this out! Please take the time to read and review, it will help let me know if I'm doing a good job or not.**

 **P.S. I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**


	2. Your Move, Norns

**Oh my, thank you so much for the reviews! I am so glad to see you are all just as excited to see how the story goes as I am in writing it. By the way, to anyone who wants to give some ideas, I am open to it, and if it is really good or can be relevant to the plot, I will include it.**

 **Also, to The-Thorns-On-A-Rose, I encourage you to write that fic. There are so few of SI-OC!Hela stories around here that any contribution to it will be a delight to see.**

 **Once again, thank you all so much! Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter Two:**

 **Your Move, Norns**

* * *

Vor, goddess of wisdom and knowledge, mentor to Odin in his youth, and guardian of every hall of knowledge within the Nine Realms, was getting too old for this.

She watched as her young student, Princess Hela of Asgard, swayed dangerously in her seat, her green eyes wide with shock and disbelief. It seemed she was truly affected by the similarities of her name and the afterlife Hel. Speaking of which, Vor made a mental note to have a word with Odin about naming his only daughter after the worst afterlife among the three and potentially traumatizing her charge. That man's not yet old enough to avoid a scolding from his own mentor.

And they had been making such quick progress in her lessons too. In what should have taken a normal Aesir child centuries to learn, the princess only mastered in just a few years.

Vor had been surprised at first by the King and Queen's order for her to teach the princess at such a young age – barely three years old! – but ultimately agreed. She found herself growing curious as to what kind of person her former student's very young daughter would be. And suffice to say, she was not disappointed.

To say the child was brilliant was an understatement. The girl was practically still an infant but she still held herself with such grace and manners in their first meeting when she introduced herself, though with several understandable mistakes. In addition to that, she was obviously very eager to learn, which were qualities Vor values and expects all her students to possess. The princess was still understandably ignorant in many things, though at her pace and with the attitude she has towards her lessons… if she didn't know any better, it was as if the princess was learning how to do things she already knew. And that information both surprised and confused her.

For instance, she already knew how to speak, but the words she uses were, frankly, not appropriate for her position. The only thing left to do was teach her how to speak formally. The same with her mannerisms. Not to mention the fact that she somehow has a mouth worse than a barbarian. (Vor made a mental note to mention this to Odin also. It would not do to have the princess of Asgard speak like a common ruffian.)

Hela confused her, but she had never met a more dedicated and curious child. And despite knowing better, Vor found herself growing fond of the girl.

Though at the moment, the girl is trying her patience.

"Ask, child. It is tiring to see you so quiet when we both know you are almost bursting with curiosity." She gestured for her to speak, though she was wary of any outbursts. "Besides, I told you not to hold back."

However, whatever Vor expected she would ask, this was not it.

"Are we at war with Jotunheim?" The princess abruptly blurted out.

Vor stared. "We are not."

Hela almost deflated in her relief, and Vor found herself at a loss, and she absolutely hated not knowing things. "Why do you think we should be at war with Jotunheim?"

She instantly stiffened, "Nothing! It is silly of me, forget I asked."

Vor gazed at her unimpressed. "You are a terrible liar, child."

The Princess only shook her head frantically, eyes pleading with her to drop the subject. It was against her very nature, but Vor agreed to stop her pursuit of knowledge. Though she would come back to it at a later time, mark her words.

She waited patiently for Hela to gather her thoughts; the young princess looking, for the lack of a better word, stressed out of her mind, which was a bit of an overreaction, in Vor's opinion.

Her next question caught her off guard yet again, "What about Eart-Midgard? What is its current state?" She asked in a rush.

"Midgard?" Vor frowned in confusion. One moment, the topic was about the afterlife, and now she's inquiring about the realms? "There aren't any evolved lifeforms yet in Midgard, it is mostly just plant life, oceans, and the occasionally intelligent creature, but in all honesty, it is perhaps the most 'primitive' among the Nine Realms."

To her surprise, the princess promptly swore and slumped fully in her seat, determinedly ignoring Vor's harsh glare, her wide eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. "May I be excused?"

Vor took pity on her. "Our lesson is adjourned. Rest, Princess."

Hela needed no further prompting and fled, leaving Vor to nurse a headache the likes of which she hasn't felt since Odin's youth.

…

This was the first time she didn't heed Vor's advice, and she felt nervous. Knowing Vor, she'd just know. But she needed answers, and asking Vor any further will cause her to become suspicious. However, the reason she asked all those questions was to find out where exactly in the timeline she was. Judging by Vor's answers, Hela was in the time before the war of Jotunheim where Odin met Loki, maybe even before that whole war between all the Nine Realms, and most especially before life even fully evolved on Earth.

In other words, she was ancient.

She knew she still appeared shaken and scared out of her mind, judging by the worried looks the servants and attendants shot her in the halls, but she couldn't pay them any attention even if she wanted to.

And so, with only sheer strength of will and determination guiding her footsteps, she headed straight to the library after her postponed lessons and started her research about the Nine Realms. As they say, one has to know their battleground first before doing anything. She pulled the nearest book and began.

With her new ability to read runes, she can finally see that most of these books spoke of a realm called Asgard, which was a part of the Nine Realms that comprised the World Tree Yggdrasil. It detailed the land, its people, and its culture and history.

Come to think of it, she doesn't even know her exact age in Asgardian terms yet. It wasn't like she's keeping track of it.

Oh god, wasn't it mentioned that Asgardian lifespans lasts as long as five thousand years?!

Could she live for five thousand years without going – hopefully not – insane?

Maybe, but she 'will' be insane if she ended up imprisoned in that hellhole for the rest of her life. Her mind sardonically replied.

Absorbing it all, she brought it down before pulling another book off the shelf. This one detailed one of the Nine Realms, a world called Muspelheim, which was composed mainly of fire and heat. Their residents were called the Fire Giants.

The book trembled in her grip when she put it down, and she pulled more books and skimmed through them. One book spoke of Vanaheim, one of Midgard – she felt a flash of homesickness – one of Jotunheim – she felt a spark of dread – and more until she had completely emptied the shelf. She felt anxious, but quickly shook it off. More… she had to find out more!

Walking towards a shelf several feet away from the last, she began pulling out a book again and skimming it. This time, the tomes in this bookshelf detailed things like war, death, and skirmishes in Asgard throughout the years.

She made a mental note to come back to that later, before heading to the librarian and asking for a book about the afterlife, or even just about Hel, as she should have done in the first place. After a "Yes, Your Grace," the librarian immediately handed her a thick tome.

Thanking her, she hurriedly went to a table and began reading through it.

After a while, Hela almost laughed out loud in hysterics. There it was, the passage detailing what Vor explained earlier about the rulers of Hel being chosen. Most of all, it said here that the rulers may have been chosen by the Fates themselves, otherwise known as the Norns.

She didn't notice that she was beginning to hyperventilate before she heard someone trying to talk to her and calling for help. Hela stared as the librarian knelt beside her worriedly, "–lease Princess, are you all right? Do you need me to call the healers?"

She tried to calm her breathing, knowing that she was probably overreacting but still too stunned to care. It's not every day a person found out they were easily one of the evilest and most powerful beings to live in the history of ever and they be destined to be that no matter what they do. "I-I am fine, do not worry. This will pass."

The librarian still looked hesitant. "Are you certain? Perhaps we should wait for the healers' assessment–"

"No! I am truly well. Call off the healers." She said, the commanding tone sounding odd coming from her childlike voice. "Thank you for your concern, though."

And with that, she turned away from the concerned librarian, fled the library, and headed straight for her rooms.

…

Hela almost slammed the door shut on her way in and covered her face with trembling hands."Damn it..."

She was just enjoying her second life and all its frivolities and riches right now because she thought she could change anything and the bad future won't happen, but she just had to ask that question, didn't she?

In some sick twist of fate, or most probably as a source of cruel entertainment for the Norns, she had been reincarnated as Hela Odinsdottir, who was ironically, the Goddess of Death.

Hela, who was also known in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a powerful evil being who conquered Asgard and the other Realms. A powerful evil being who had been banished from Asgard for being too unstable and bloodthirsty by her own father, which led her to rule the Realm of the Dead, where the despicable and dishonorable people go when they die. Lastly, and probably the most important fact of all, she was Thor and Loki's older sister.

She had hoped that perhaps Vor had just misspoken, or she had gone temporarily deaf. It was the first time she heard the name 'Hela' and found herself completely frightened of it.

She took a deep breath, and hugged herself tightly.

This was real. This was her life now, and her name was now Hela. And it was all because of those stupid Norns.

Hela Odinsdottir was not her original name, nor was it her first choice if she was truly reborn into the world of Marvel. She could have dealt with being Shuri, Scarlet Witch, or even Darcy Lewis. All of those characters are female and have the least terrible pasts of all. She would have been satisfied with that. But knowing that she was reborn as a character destined to be evil and surrounded by death? How could anyone not lose their minds?

Why did this happen? How did this happen? What could she have possibly done to deserve this? She had believed in the Catholic faith in her previous life, and then she suddenly wakes up and finds herself as the Norse goddess of death? This was nothing but a cruel joke. Just because she died while watching a Marvel movie doesn't automatically mean she becomes a character in said movie! If so, everyone would be killing themselves just to get the chance. And she refuses to think she was special enough to garner the right attention from the right people.

But even so, the Norns have to be responsible. She could think of no other gods who has the ability to do what happened to her. Odin probably could, but she cannot imagine he'll do that to his only daughter (she desperately tried not to think about Thor's banishment, Loki being abandoned, adopted, his identity kept secret from him, and his consequent treachery and malevolence, all of which happened because of Odin's neglect.) and Frigga would be on his case if he was the culprit. That was, assuming she knows.

However, she cannot think of a way to contact the Norns. What would she even say if she managed to contact them? Return her to her original body? Her body was probably dead at this point. Even she knew that. So really, the logical side of her knows that the best way to do this was to continue living on. And that meant trying to accept this change.

'Hela' slowly brought a trembling hand to her –brown, it should be brown! – jet-black hair; touching the short but silky strands before moving on to her –fair!– pale face, her complexion so light it resembled marble. She had the form of a child, barely five or six years old by Earth's standards, but her body was not the chubby thing most children possess. Instead, she was small and skinny. Everything about her appearance screamed wrong! and she couldn't help but feel disturbed wearing someone else's skin.

As a last resort, her trembling fingers slowly made their way into her eyes, parting her eyelids to reveal the colors of her irises.

Green.

She immediately felt her eyes water and obscure her vision, but it mattered not. What matters is that there is still a part of her real self that stayed. She didn't know if this was the real Hela's eye color, but what does it even matter if she's now Hela herself?

She knows she said Hela was an interesting villain. But nothing could change the fact that Hela was evil. A monster in the loosest sense of the word. Hela massacred almost all the Asgardians… an entire race! Worst of all, Hela doomed them all and began the series of events that eventually led the remaining Asgardians to Thanos himself.

Was she also expected to do all those things?

No, she's her own person, there's no evil Hela lurking within the depths of her mind that could control her thoughts and actions. No Norn could talk her into going off the deep end. No one but her could control her fate.

Her mind's her own. Hers.

There was the possibility that maybe she couldn't change anything; that she was destined to end up like the original Hela and rot in Hel because of being a warmonger, imprisoned by her own father. Maybe whatever she does, fate will do anything to maintain the original events.

Or maybe there was a small chance that she could change events. After all, why else would she be here? Unless the Norns only wanted to torment someone, then she will take the fight to them.

She almost laughed aloud, too relieved and shaken beyond words. She tried desperately not to think about the fact that she might be wrong, or the real Hela's also within her, just biding her time to strike.

But even if she was, she won't give her that chance. Just because she was named Hela doesn't mean she should be Hela. There was no reason for her to act like an evil and bloodthirsty goddess of death. She could just be her normal, ordinary self. No one was asking her to be Hela, and if things go her way, no one would even know that there used to be an evil Hela.

Her mind's her own. And she's free.

The laughter that sounded after that was too hysterical to be mistaken for anything else.

…

After that realization, she waited a few more moments to calm herself and remove any traces of tears in her face, before she finally decided to leave her rooms.

Night had already fallen, but she didn't care. She needed to see for herself.

Wandering the palace, she marveled at the structure that she had previously taken for granted. The whole place was vaguely similar to the Asgard in the movies, but what they had failed to truly capture was the fact that it was enormous and incredibly luxurious. It was frankly too good to be true, and she half expected herself to wake from this horribly realistic dream, but it never happened. She's really here in Asgard, her new parents were really Odin and Frigga, and her name was really Hela Odinsdottir.

However, accepting her identity and possible future had just been the first step; learning to live with it was another. The name 'Hela' was mainly associated with bad things. Especially with her role as a villain in the MCU. She's determined not to become a monster and murderer like the real Hela had been. But the realization was still hard.

Perhaps the only good thing about this was that being Hela means growing up alongside her future siblings and protecting them from their fates. If she could just do that, then she will gladly continue this farce for as long as she could.

She always had a soft spot for Thor and Loki ever since she first watched the Thor movies. Out of all the Avengers, Thor fascinates her the most. However, out of all the villains and every single character in the MCU, Loki will always be her favorite. Some might even say she had a crush on him and his real life actor, but now she felt a bit horrified at the idea. If she's Hela now, then Loki will be her younger brother. Never mind if he's adopted, that's just wrong!

She forced herself to get rid of that thought. She's going to be their elder sister. Any sign of infatuations has got to go!

Shaking her head, she released a breath and shoved that thought where the sun doesn't shine. Alright, first order of business, forget that whole crush thing! She doesn't need that complication in her life.

Second, further learn and master how to read and write. She could already understand everything well enough and could write the language through years of constant practice with the help of Vor, but she needs to perfect that skill. Knowing how to read and write impeccably will be an advantage if she were to start navigating this world.

Though that does lead her to question just how she can speak their language fluently but she cannot read them. Was it perhaps the result of the Allspeak? She should probably look into that further.

Third was to ask her parents to teach her how to fight. It's a fundamental part of this world and one she was confident her parents would not reject. After all, the future Queen of Asgard should know how to defend herself.

She stiffened. Wait.

Oh no, she's to become the future queen?

They don't even need an evil Hela, make her the queen and Asgard is doomed.

She snorted at the mental image, the brief moment of humor helping her mind calm. All right, worry about that later. For now, it's important to know how to defend herself. She wasn't blind to the plights of royalty. Assassination attempts were a given, because some people always want royals dead no matter how good or respectable they were. Self-defense was a necessity, but if she went further and became a warrior, well, who can stop her? She needed to learn how to fight and defend herself so she can accomplish her goals. Besides, the real Hela knew how to fight, and was even stronger than both Thor and Loki combined. That alone lets her know she ought to learn how to do it too.

She suddenly perked up, eyes widening when she realized another obvious detail she missed.

She's still a child, she hadn't turned evil or imprisoned yet, so that meant... the Valkyries were still alive!

She visibly vibrated with excitement. Meeting Brunnhilde would be so awesome! She seems to be a great person to hang out with. And since they were alive, then perhaps women were not treated as badly like in Sif's time in Asgard.

Speaking of which, when she finally meets Loki, Thor, Heimdall, and the Avengers (not necessarily in that order), she could definitely die happy (and hopefully not get reincarnated again. Once is enough.)

All right, getting off-track here. Now, the fourth thing to do will be to start learning magic or seidr. She must have it, since the real Hela can conjure weapons out of thin air. Besides, it's wiser to start broadening her horizons and gathering knowledge now instead of waiting for nothing. According to what she knows about Asgard and Loki's history, women are more accepted to learn magic than men. This will not raise any questions. Besides, what kind of sane person doesn't want to learn magic?

Mind made up, she decided to start asking for magic lessons from her parents as soon as they agreed to the first two.

Fifth, she'll begin learning how to navigate court and political life. Being the first daughter and princess means she will undoubtedly have some responsibilities. If the previously oaf-like and stubborn Thor before his banishment can do it, then so can she.

She doubts she would ever be as clever as Loki, but she refuses to lose to Thor in terms of intelligence. Sorry future brother.

And sixth… she promises to do her absolute best into guiding her future siblings away from the horrible fate that awaits them. She will be the best sister she could be. She will never let either feel neglected, especially since she knows neglect is the root cause of all the problems in their family.

They haven't even been born yet but she already loves them like her own brothers. The idea was strange but very welcome.

She exhaled.

She's now Hela Odinsdottir, firstborn child of Odin Allfather and Frigga Allmother, and the true heir to the throne of Asgard. And if fate persists, she will also be known as the Goddess of Death, Asgard's Executioner, and Thor and Loki's elder sister and self-appointed protector.

And she fully accepts this role.

Your move, Norns.

 **…**

 **Thank you for reading, please review! Ideas are also welcome!**

 **P.S. Again, I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**

 **EDITED: 1/2/20**


	3. The Gatekeeper and The Commander

**I am so sorry for taking so long! I've just been so busy with school, not to mention I am still fleshing out this story and where it is going to go. Hope this long chapter makes up for it!**

 **IMPORTANT A/N:**

 **Thank you so much for your awesome reviews and your patience! All of them helped encourage me to write this chapter faster. I also took all of your suggestions into consideration. I admit doing a story about Hela when we don't even know that much about her backstory will be difficult, so I will be doing a _lot_ of time skips. Though I won't skip into Thor and Loki's time almost immediately because for one thing, this is Hela/OC's story, not to mention if we do that, we'll be skipping a lot of important parts necessary for Hela's character development and the plot.**

 **Thank you again for the amazing reviews, favorites, follows, and reactions. Remember, all of your suggestions are welcome and will be considered. In fact, I consider it a great help since creating a story about Hela's almost non-existent backstory will be challenging enough. I can certainly use you guys' inputs and opinions. Now without further ado, please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter Three:**

 **The Gatekeeper and The Commander**

* * *

Hela gently pulled on the reins and guided Dagny– a lovely and playful white foal her parents gifted her after she finally completed her horse-riding lessons – to a slow trot, taking her time to observe her surroundings and stroke her mount affectionately on her neck. This was the first time she rode somewhere that was not the riding grounds, and she was relieved that Dagny reigned in her own enthusiasm for being let out the palace for what she knew was the very first time.

Hela loved Dagny the moment she laid eyes on her, and was overjoyed when the horse easily returned her affections. Dagny was young and playful still, but Hela had no doubt that the foal will grow up to be a powerful warhorse, and a valuable ally in the coming battles.

Dagny nickered as Hela guided her to stop in front of the huge structure before them and dismounted. Hela stroked her one more time on the snout for the trip, before turning to enter the Observatory.

She immediately felt her mouth fall open in awe as she took in the sheer size of the structure and the beautiful rainbow bridge she just crossed. It was something she had only ever seen on screen and in her imagination. She never imagined that she would see the Bifrost itself with her own eyes. And words cannot describe how beautiful and ethereal it really looks.

She tried her best to take everything in, however, the overwhelming feeling of someone boring their gaze at the back of her head made her reluctantly tear her eyes away from the colorful bridge to instead land on the figure of a huge man standing in the middle of the chamber, his whole body encased in intimidating golden armor.

Heimdall, the all-seeing and all-hearing guardian of the Bifrost.

She grinned so wide it hurt. She had asked (begged) her mother earlier that day for permission to visit the Observatory and the Bifrost bridge. Meeting Heimdall in person was an opportunity she won't pass up and she could not wait any longer.

At first, Frigga wanted to accompany her, but Hela insisted that she was old enough and could already take care of herself; besides, the Observatory was only a short ride away on horseback from the palace, and Heimdall sees everything. Therefore, he'll definitely know ahead of time if she was in any danger so she's as safe as she could possibly be.

That argument swayed Frigga, and she smiled. "My clever girl." She had murmured before calling out. "Good Heimdall, I ask you to watch over my daughter as she journeys to you."

There wasn't any visible change, but Frigga nodded after a few moments of silence and proceeded to send her off.

And now here she was, standing awkwardly by the entrance in front of the stoic Gatekeeper who remained unmoving from his position in the dais. Behind her, the rainbow bridge hummed.

She resisted the urge to shift nervously as their gazes locked on each other, bright green meeting gold. Though the difference was that his eyes were unreadable while hers were almost bursting with curiosity. Still, she did not speak and could only stare at him in wonder.

Heimdall only stared back.

"Your Highness." He inclined his head after the silence became too awkward.

At his words, Hela quickly remembered her manners and curtsied. "Nice to finally meet you, Lord Heimdall."

"You are my princess, and I am just a guardian; there is no need for formalities." He informed her, though his golden gaze was now kind and almost amused.

"Heimdall." Hela acquiesced. She still couldn't help but stare at him though. Here in front of her was one of the most recognizable figures in the MCU. Heimdall, The One Who Sees All. And Hela found herself fangirl-ing quite a bit. "I've heard so much about you. Is it true you could see everything?" She blurted out excitedly.

He nodded. Even now, he looks like a statue, standing unwaveringly with his large golden sword held in front of him. He was a large man, and indeed had dark skin like in the movies. However, there was still one thing the movies cannot possibly replicate no matter how hard they try.

His golden eyes.

Even from afar, the color was unmistakable. Hela's own eyes widened as their gazes locked and she found herself drawn into the bright golden orbs and into after-images of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil itself. It was only then that she realized she was staring into the only pair of eyes that can see entire worlds, nebulae, and the beings that lived in them in its entirety. Words cannot capture how mesmerizing and beautiful his eyes truly were, and Hela found it quite hard to stop herself from blatantly staring even though it's rude.

As beautiful as his eyes were, Hela felt a spark of nervousness. She knew he could not possibly see or know her thoughts, but she still felt worried that he might find out her true identity just by looking into her eyes and seeing a completely different person behind them.

Still, her curiosity knew no bounds. Hela placed a hand behind her back and held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Heimdall raised an eyebrow and answered dutifully. "Two, Your Highness."

Hela covered the hand behind her back with her other. She then held up a finger. "How many now?"

Heimdall's beautiful eyes now glinted in amusement, but he still humored her. "One."

She stared at him in awe, and proceeded to say in the most genuine tone possible, "You are amazing, Heimdall."

The Gatekeeper looked completely stunned for a moment, his already rigid stance tensing even more. After a while, he relaxed, and his voice now held a touch of warmth. "I thank you, my princess."

"Hela," She grinned up at him, "Call me Hela."

They both knew he can't do that, difference in ranks and all that, but she likes to think he appreciated the thought.

"So," she continued, her eyes almost glittering with excitement. "How exactly does the Bifrost work? And do you not get tired of standing all day?"

 **…**

Heimdall watched silently as Asgard's princess insisted on walking instead of riding her horse back across the bridge. She claimed she wanted to observe how the bridge works and see over the edge properly, both of which she cannot do on horseback. Before she left though, she gave him one last bright smile, one he was hard-pressed not to return.

She might be young still, but he could already tell that her genuine curiosity, intelligence, and kindness will shine as brilliantly as the brightest star he had ever seen among the branches of Yggdrasil.

It also does not hurt to admit that her honest praise immediately endeared him to her. Heimdall then decided that he would watch her closely from now on. Her kindness might just be what Asgard needs during these troubling times.

 **…**

She practically skipped back after a riveting and highly informative discussion with Heimdall, noting that the gatekeeper looked almost relieved to see her off after her endless stream of questions. She knew she could be quite a handful when curious, but Vor had said often enough that holding back questions leads to ignorance, which will eventually lead to her death if she's not careful (Vor can be pretty cynical at times), and frequently encourages her to ask if she wanted to know something. And she definitely wanted to know how the Bifrost bridge works.

She never thought about it back then, but the Bifrost can transport a person to other realms several light years away from Asgard in just over a minute or two. If anyone on Earth even had a device capable of trying that, she knows that person will be ripped apart or basically fade into nothingness. It was just not possible, but then again, this was magic. Defying the laws of physics was definitely in the job description.

An interesting tidbit she also found out was that Heimdall doesn't actually need sleep. He didn't elaborate on it, and Hela instantly knew that this was somewhat of a trade secret and couldn't blame him for keeping silent. After all, who would want a child knowing all your secrets and other invaluable information?

He doesn't need sleep, but he had break times, which made sense. After all, one cannot be expected to stand around all day and night watching the realms in the entire World Tree without feeling the least bit tired or hungry. However, those times were confidential, since it will be a serious security breach in Asgard's defenses if someone found out when Heimdall leaves his post, and so Hela refrained from asking anything more about the subject.

She doesn't know why she felt so surprised that Heimdall had break times, since he never seemed to leave the Observatory, but she supposed it made sense. If the great and all-powerful Odin could feel tired, then Heimdall could damn well feel it too.

Hela hummed and tugged on Dagny's reins, slowly guiding her across the Bifrost as she strolled around. Seeing the rainbow bridge up close instead of the view on horseback was quite a sight. She watched intently as the colors of the rainbow bridge pulsed around her feet with every step she took. The bridge looked and felt like colored glass, but she figured it was more like a material similar to crystal but stronger. It had to be if it could withstand the mighty blows of Mjolnir.

One might expect that the bridge was slippery or smooth because it looked like a crystal; however, it was actually quite rough. This made walking on it not too much trouble, but there were no handrails so there was still every chance that she might fall off. Heimdall's always watching, though, so she knows she's safe.

Hela curiously peered over the edge, and her eyes bulged at the sight of the sheer drop below. She was normally not afraid of heights, but that sight almost did her in. Underneath the Bifrost bridge was just ocean, with the water flowing off the edge of Asgard itself. She knew this world was flat, not a round and sphere-like planet like Earth, so how does gravity work when there's no core or magnetic fields to keep her feet on the ground? And where does the ocean even fall to, space?

So many questions, and she absolutely delighted in trying to answer them all.

Later though, Herryk is waiting.

…

"You are late."

Hela bowed her head in acknowledgement. The other trainees paused in their katas and stances and watched warily as the princess faced off against the instructor, the latter looking absolutely pissed.

Commander Herryk became her fighting instructor when Hela had finally expressed interest in learning how to fight and becoming a warrior. Her parents opposed it at first, saying that she was still too young to worry about those things (her mother), and asking her if she was sure she wanted to do that instead of befriending girls her age and completing her studies with Vor first? (Still her mother.)

Frigga had obviously looked concerned with Hela's request to learn how to fight because of how young she was. Hela too would hesitate in allowing her 'daughter' to go off fighting when she could be learning how to dance or something. Odin, however, looked pleased.

"My daughter," Hela turned to her father, who looked like he already knew her answer, but still added his piece for the worried Frigga's benefit. "Self-defense is certainly an essential skill the royal family must acquire. Nevertheless, what you are proposing is to train not just to defend yourself, but to become a full-fledged warrior. You are still quite young; I assure you that they will not go easy on you." Odin raised an eyebrow, "Moreover, do you not wish for a chance to lead an untroubled life first before already trying to bear the full responsibilities of someone in your position? You have been diving head-first into your lessons like a starving man would to a feast."

Hela almost raised an eyebrow at him; if she wasn't already an adult, half of those words wouldn't even make sense to a child. Perhaps it was a test to see how far she'd come in her studies. Nevertheless, Hela didn't waver in her decision and only grinned confidently at them both. "Yes Father, I am sure. I enjoy all my lessons, adding one more will not be a problem."

Odin nodded in approval. Frigga still looked uncertain, "Hela, are you certain you would rather be doing this instead of playing with the other children? I am sure you will find many friends once you finally decided to talk to them." She said this in a resigned tone that already knows Hela wouldn't do it. Her mother had already tried setting her up with play dates, but Hela had found that interacting with children who does nothing but suck up to her because of her status doesn't end well.

It took a few more moments of persuading, but at last, Hela finally got her mother's consent, with the promise that she'll try to socialize more with other children her age. They had debated on sending her off to train with the Valkyries (her heart jumped at her throat at the name), but Odin eventually decided that swearing the Valkyries' oath of eternal service would completely impede with her role as the heir to the throne and dropped the idea. Instead, she would train with the other boys under one of the soldiers.

And with that, she was finally assigned to Commander Herryk who, unlike Vor, is completely insufferable, irritating, and quite blatant with his bigotry towards women. It turned out that misogyny existed even in the Valkyries' time. Herryk had clearly expressed that women warriors like the Valkyries were not as superior in battle as Asgard's army.

With such obvious prejudice, it didn't exactly help that she was the only girl amongst the new recruits.

Another thing was that Herryk does not like seidmadr. He considers them as tricksters, cowards, or even cheaters for using illusions and spells instead of fighting the enemy head-on. It had caused several arguments to erupt between them numerous times, especially since Herryk found out about her interest in studying the art and proceeded to ban any use of seidr in their training. Since that day, Hela resolved to be the best warrior and sorceress in the entire Nine. Middle fingers up your obvious discrimination, Herryk.

She had been surprised at first when she heard that it would be a commander who would personally train them. She had expected a sergeant or captain, not a high-ranking person like a commander, and yet here they were. Hela had heard rumors that Commander Herryk wasn't originally going to be their instructor, but with Hela's induction to training, Odin himself had commanded Herryk to personally oversee training for this batch.

So technically, it was her fault Herryk had been degraded from a commander to an instructor. She was sorry at first, she wasn't now.

At present, she finally arrived after her trip to Heimdall's Observatory, and Herryk looked pissed. Actually, Herryk always looks pissed, though the reason was probably because he's forced to train – babysit, according to him – children instead of going out to fight. Sometimes, she couldn't help but notice that Asgardians take their titles as a warrior race very seriously. It always seemed like that's all they ever want to do.

She would've asked that her parents replace him with another instructor who was actually decent, but pride prevented her from asking. She just knew Odin would take it as a sign of weakness, and probably stop her training completely. He probably chose Herryk because of his attitude to test her determination to see this through.

Well, she'll prove him wrong.

"I was just in the Observatory visiting Heimdall with the Queen's permission." She told him impassively, taking care not to let any negative feelings show. It wouldn't do to antagonize him this early. "You can confirm it with them."

"I don't care where you've been, I only care about the fact that you're late." Herryk's eyes narrowed. "I am sure you know how to tell time, yes? You could have visited Heimdall early morning or late afternoon, when it would not interfere with our lessons. My life does not revolve around you, princess, so stop wasting my time." He then whirled around to confront the watching trainees who visibly jumped in surprise. "And who said you could stop? Fifty laps around the arena now!"

The other recruits startled and basically began running for their lives, the sound of frantic footsteps slowly fading the farther they ran.

Hela resisted the urge to glare at him and just stayed silent. He was right after all, "I apologize Sir, it won't happen again."

However, it seems something showed on her tone, because Herryk suddenly scowled, "You will treat me with respect."

"I do respect you." Hela immediately said, visibly frowning now.

"Then why do you insist on staying defiant and unruly like a spoiled brat?" He shot back.

Hela stared at him in disbelief before shifting her gaze away guiltily, "I just think our opinions on some things contradict each other. Especially about that ridiculous ban on seidr use."

Herryk glowered, his eyelid twitching at the mere mention of the word 'seidr'. "Absolutely not! I will not allow such tricks and cowardly behavior to be present in my training grounds."

"It is not cowardly! Both the King and Queen uses seidr, do you call them cowards too?" She accused.

"Odin at least recognizes that such an act is unfit for a King and chooses to be a warrior first, and as for the Queen, she is a woman. Her use is not ideal, but acceptable. You, on the other hand," He looked down on her, his eyes narrowed to slits. "You might be a girl, but you are also training to become a warrior, and a warrior has no time for such tricks. I have already been lenient with you. If it were my way, I would have forbidden you from learning seidr completely, but the Queen insisted.

"If you cannot accept my rules, you are free to leave the training grounds. I care not."

Hela stared blankly at him, abruptly realizing that maybe she'd gone too far. He doesn't usually rant like this, so either he might be in a very bad mood, or she was in fact, wrong.

No, of course not. Seidr was an important part of combat too, she doesn't want to become like one of those warriors who could only rely on their physical strength. There will always come a time when other unconventional methods were required to win a fight. Besides, the use of seidr in combat was something she'd always wanted to do. It's a very invaluable skill, but it's obviously not something she could learn here. Her own teacher practically snarls at the mere mention of the word 'seidr', for god's sake.

But maybe, if Herryk couldn't teach her, then she could teach herself. Provided she learn combat training under Herryk first. The fact that he's the best option because he's an actual army commander was an opportunity she can't pass up, not even when he's acting like a prejudiced jerk.

"I apologize for my behavior, Commander." She bowed her head in submission. "I will do better in the future."

Herryk only looked at her sincere expression, docile stance, and huffed. "See that you do."

"Now," He tossed her a wooden sword that had been lying beside him in the weapon's rack. "Since you are late, then you must already know a great deal about our lessons. Show me what you have learned."

Hela ignored the jibe in order to catch the weapon. She swung it experimentally, judging its weight and the feel of it in her hands, before taking a stance. Herryk crossed his arms and settled in to watch as Hela began moving through a series of forms and katas, each move timing with her breaths.

She had already learnt the basic forms of hand-to-hand combat and the sword, but there was still so much more to learn, especially since she wanted to master other weapons as well.

She spun and swung the wooden sword in a wide arc, feet spreading apart and body bending down to an almost crouch. At that moment, the running trainees passed a few ways ahead of her, and she absently noticed two boys lagging behind the group, their gaits weak and tired. Now, she normally wouldn't mind it, but just for a moment, one of the boys' weary eyes met her confused ones with open curiosity and admiration.

She stared at his back as he passed. What was that about…?

"Still not done? I have seen bilgesnipes move faster and with far more precision than you."

She snapped back to reality and refrained from retorting back. Antagonizing Herryk will greatly hinder her progress, so perhaps it's time to accept that he won't change his mind about seidr anytime soon.

…

Hela almost collapsed on her bed in exhaustion, her chest still heaving and her whole body drenched in sweat. Herryk was absolutely brutal today. The guards she passed outside could only stare at her in sympathy, all of them knowing just how merciless the Commander could be in training.

If only she could have been assigned to General Tyr, who she had heard was extremely fair as well as being the greatest warrior and tactician of the Realm Eternal after the Allfather. But he was always busy, so instead, she's stuck with Herryk.

She began removing all the layers of sweaty clothes before she even reached the bedroom, tossing the dirty laundry in the basket in the corner. She didn't bother resting her aching body for a moment and promptly sank into the prepared bath, sighing in relief as the warm water with lovely scented oils soothed her sore muscles. She definitely missed using shampoo, soap, and conditioner, but the oils can also do a good job in making her smell clean even after long periods of time.

Closing her eyes, she drifted off.

…

"Hela."

Hela, wet hair still clinging onto her neck and her body feeling much better, looked up from her book and saw Queen Frigga standing silently in the doorway, eyes warm and kind. "May I come in?"

"Of course, Mother."

She watched as her mother made her way to the other chair across from her own, before turning her attention back to her books when it was clear her mother was content to just sit there.

Meanwhile, Frigga silently observed her daughter's scrunched up face, her eyes locked on her book in deep concentration. The sight was adorable, but she's here for a more serious reason.

Hela was now past the equivalent of a twelve-year-old child in Midgardian terms – and since early childhood had already been subjected to various lessons about language, seidr, hand-to-hand combat, weapons training, law, politics, history, literature, and culture of the Nine Realms, horse-back riding, dancing, instrument playing, swimming, weaving, and more. Everything her instructors offered her, she soaked up like an eager sponge. While other children would request for a break and play, Hela would stay cooped up in her rooms and did her best to excel in everything she does.

It made the entire court wonder just why does the princess seem like she's preparing for the worst by drowning herself into her books and training. Odin was unconcerned, but Frigga was worried. She had looked at the tomes her daughter had been reading and found that most were about battle tactics, aggressive seidr techniques, and war. A normal child should not be worrying about those things, yet here they were.

Of course, she was proud that her instructors consider her daughter a prodigy. At four and she was already spouting topics and debates difficult and mature enough that her listeners could only look at her in shock and bewilderment. At seven, and horseback riding was not a problem for her anymore. At nine and she had already mastered the first few forms of combat. They found that she preferred the sword as a weapon of choice, and already arranged with master swordsmen such as Commander Herryk to start tutoring her.

Also at nine, she already began learning everything Frigga can teach her about the art of seidr. The process was slow going, however, if the powerful bursts of seidr she can already produce suggested anything, it's that Hela would undoubtedly master it as well.

Court life, social life, talks, politics, and proper royal etiquette might be the only thing Hela had difficulty in, though she would never admit that. 'It simply eludes me,' she had said upon being questioned. 'Royal etiquette is awfully restrictive.' Frigga had assured her she'll eventually master it, but her daughter just shot her a look that practically screams 'I know something you don't.'

Hela might be a prodigy that attends several lessons a day when most children her age could only ever think about play, but that does not mean she must continue acting like an adult. She was young still and must not trouble herself with the Realm Eternal's problems.

What puzzled Frigga was that she had tried to get Hela to play and socialize with other children her age, but no one seemed to hold her interest. It also does not help that the parents obviously instructed all of those children to sweet-talk and praise the young princess in everything she does in order to get in her good graces. (A fact Frigga knows that Hela realizes all too well.)

Still, Hela needed to talk to people her age. Her social life only really consisted of the servants, guards, her instructors, the occasional ministers she manages to corner to talk about politics, and perhaps Heimdall now. She had not even showed any interest in boys, something Frigga found curious. Was this not the right age for children to develop interest in the opposite sex? (Or even the same sex. Anything her daughter wants, Frigga will not refuse her if it would bring her happiness.)

"Still having difficulties?" Frigga nodded her head to the book on court manners her daughter's currently reading.

Hela only sighed, "Court life continues to elude me." No matter how much she studied and practiced it, even now it seems that she still cannot grasp how to talk like a politician. She knows that if she ever opened her mouth during a conflict, it will probably only result against Asgard's favor. She will leave negotiations to her future younger brother, thank you very much. She made a show of dropping her book with a thump! "It's just a competition between the Lords on who can best lie and flatter the King in the realm."

Wait a minute, perhaps she could use this conversation to her advantage.

"Not," Hela continued in a slightly sarcastic tone, desperately hoping this would work, "that I meant to indicate that Father can be lied and fooled. Of course not. Not at all."

"And that is why you should learn how to properly talk in court. Such words can be considered treason if heard by the wrong people." Frigga admonished sternly, and Hela stared at her stubbornly. "I do not know where this dislike with your Father came from, but he is simply too busy with his duties and cannot spend as much time with you as I could."

And this was true. Odin had been working nonstop in order to preserve peace in the Nine. However, there were still rumors of revolts in Jotunheim, skirmishes in Vanaheim, and there was also the case of the rising hostility between Alfheim's Light Elves and the Dwarves in Nidavellir. On top of that, Odin was also ambitious enough to plan on starting a war that aims to conquer all beings and kingdoms of the Nine to swear fealty to Asgard and its ruler. An ambitious dream, one of which she cannot stop her husband from accomplishing no matter how much she reasoned with him.

With everything that had been happening, it's no wonder Odin cannot spare even a minute of his time to his only daughter. Though that's still not an excuse. While Odin had been enjoying his little campaigns of war, Hela was slowly resenting her father for his inattention, and Frigga fully plans on letting him know about that fact.

Hela suddenly scoffed at her words, and Frigga then realized that perhaps this was something deeper than simple resentment. "Forgive me, but we both know that isn't true. His duties mostly consist of hearing the Lords and Ministers drone on and on about senseless things. I think he can very much afford to spend some time with his family but just chooses not to." Hela glared at the wall behind her, and Frigga's eyes widened in surprise at the words she's saying. "He has five thousand years to rule, he can certainly afford to spend an hour with me."

"Hela!"

Her daughter turned to her with bitter eyes that slowly softened in regret, "I apologize, Mother." She grudgingly said, but made no attempt to negate her words.

Frigga's eyebrows furrowed and she leaned in, brushing a few dark strands from Hela's face. "Why do you think this, my daughter? Your Father loves you very much. He tries to make time for you, but war is almost upon us, and he has been busy trying to help all the Nine with their problems, to fortify Asgard's defenses, and make life better for the kingdom."

To her surprise, Hela only laughed bitterly, "Now I understand." She muttered so lowly Frigga almost didn't hear her. "Is that so, Mother?" She said aloud, "I, for one, would have already listed all my opinions on the matter if it weren't for the Good Heimdall listening in."

'Oh Mother…' Hela smiled bitterly.'I do not know if you know this or if you think the topic is not for the ears of a child, but the only reason war is upon us, is because Odin craves war. The only realm he is respected in is Asgard, and he plans to become a conqueror and subjugate the rest of the Nine Realms so he can finally establish an empire and get the respect he 'deserves', possibly with me by his side. It is the beginning of a tragedy. One that would come true if not for…' Hela clenched her fists, 'recent circumstances.'

"We both know that the Good Heimdall is completely wrapped around your little finger." Oblivious to her depressing thoughts, Frigga smiled slightly at the memory she had watched from her scrying bowl of a bewildered but fond Heimdall answering the curious little princess's nonstop questions, before frowning again, "Though I agree your 'opinions' should not be spoken out loud. Do not tempt the Fates, my daughter. Instead, learn to spin your words until no one can discern what you truly wanted to say. It may just save your life one day."

In other words, lie.

Hela almost smiled, 'No wonder Loki is such a brilliant Liesmith. He probably learned it from his Mother. Another thing the stories do not tell us.'

"I thank you for the advice, Mother." Hela dipped her head, smile slightly rueful. "And thank you for ignoring this, Heimdall."

Silence greeted her words, but she knew the Gatekeeper heard. Frigga only hid a smile before quickly sobering up. "You never answered my question."

Hela sighed, before turning her head away to look at the window.

Let the acting begin. "I just… I miss Father."

Even though he was not nor will ever be her real father, Hela still felt the sting of abandonment. How much worse was it with Loki, who only ever believed that Odin was his real father? With her making Frigga and Odin aware of his negligence to his daughter, Hela could only hope that it will be enough to change his attitude towards his children in the future.

Odin will never be a good father, but the least he could do was try.

Frigga's eyes softened. "I will speak with him," She promised, "He should not neglect his daughter, no matter what the problem with the realms are, family is most important."

Hela watched blankly as her mother gave her a comforting hug, one she reluctantly returned.

She could only hope her actions will be significant enough when it is Loki's turn to be neglected. Even her thoughts were bitter.

"Now, knowing your true feelings about your father is good, since this means we can find a way to do something about it, but that is not exactly my purpose of being here."

Hela leaned back from her embrace, feeling a little uneasy from his change of topic. "Oh?"

Frigga smiled sadly at her, "Now, I understand you like to study. Have been since you were practically an infant, but that also means you are neglecting your own social life."

Hela now felt the beginnings of dread, "I am perfectly content with my current activities, Mother. You do not need to worry yourself."

Frigga shook her head, "You may say that now, but that is because you do not know any better. You are still young, and already, it is as if you already carry a huge weight on your shoulders. You have not yet truly experienced having people around your age to bond with, and you never tried to play with others or even to earn anyone's favor; and as such, you are missing out, my daughter."

"But Mother, I truly am fine the way I am. I understand what you are saying, I really do. I promise I will do my best to make connections with the children of the lords soon, but not now. Besides," Hela gazed at her earnestly, "I value my studies and training too much to neglect them now."

"Oh Hela," Frigga sighed, "Do not be mistaken. I am very proud of all of your accomplishments, but I also noticed that after finishing your lessons, you are frequently seen alone. You have no one to talk to or play with, and as such, you are not experiencing the childhood you deserve. There are plenty of chances to be an adult, especially since we live for over five thousand years, but there is not much time to be a child."

Hela looked at her in surprise, prompting Frigga to place a gentle hand on her cheek, "I am not saying you should give up your lessons; only that you try to find the time to socialize. And not just for political reasons. You are intelligent, my daughter. I know you understand this, and I am only hoping that you would at the very least give it a try."

Hela stared at her blankly, her mouth opening to protest but the words died in her throat at Frigga's imploring look.

At her silence, Frigga then stood, her bright smile making it obvious that she won. "Now, talk to the lords' children and your fellow trainees, I am sure you can find someone to befriend soon."

And with that, Frigga turned and left the room. Hela only watched her go, before slumping.

In truth, she does not want to spend her days trying to mingle with children when she could do something more important. She was already a grown woman; she had no interest in playing. Besides, there's nothing she could do that will interest kids, and vice versa. However, Frigga insisted.

Besides, isn't this the perfect opportunity to learn how to get along with kids? Thor and Loki may not be easy to handle, so she definitely needs the practice.

Mind made up, Hela resolved to find someone to talk to in the morning.

 **...**

 **Thank you for reading, please review! Ideas are also welcome!**


	4. Tyrkir and Ornulf

**A BIG thank you to everyone who keeps on supporting this story and saying all those nice things. I have a bigger idea now about how the plot would go thanks to your suggestions. Please keep them coming! It really motivates me!**

 **About some of the questions...**

 **to Guest 1: Hela is already in her teen years. Frigga stated that Hela is now past twelve years old. I always avoid saying exact ages mainly because the timeline will get really confusing so I guess it's my fault for being so vague. And as for her abilities, you'll find out in the next chapter.**

 **Guest 2: Can you clarify what magic you meant? I think Hela used a lot in Ragnarok so I don't know what you mean specifically.**

 **DanteRavenwood56: Thank you so much! And I will, though I guess she'll be weaker than Hela mainly because she doesn't have the killer instinct and ruthlessness the real one has.**

 **In this chapter, I will be introducing new original characters. I spent so long rewriting this chapter and those characters to my liking so I hope you will like them too. Please read and review!**

* * *

 **Chapter Four:**

 **Tyrkir and Ornulf**

* * *

Bright and hopeful with her chances, Hela began the journey towards the training grounds the very next morning.

The guards patrolling the corridors stood at attention as she approached, and Hela greeted them all warmly. She always made a point to talk to the guards, servants, and other personnel within the palace. If she were to become the future queen, then maintaining a good relationship with the staff would certainly help her in the long run.

The guards watching over the training grounds inclined their heads as she passed. Herryk was already there, as well as a good number of the trainees. Hela went to her place and, instead of immediately retreating to her own world; she began greeting everyone as she passed, venturing out of her own personal bubble for perhaps the first time in a long while.

It was no secret that Hela often kept to herself in public, and so she wasn't surprised when everyone just stared at her in surprise. She felt saddened by this fact. She may be friendly to the palace staff, but remaining distant to her own people? That was now going to change. She had let this mistake go on for too long.

Observing her fellow trainees, Hela noted that more than one were sending her looks of barely feigned dislike. She was immediately taken aback, what could she have done wrong already?

Trying her best to ignore them, Hela searched for friendlier faces among the crowd. Some gazed at her indifferently (she'll leave them as a last resort), some smiled back uncertainly (she made sure to send them a friendly grin), but the last faces made her pause.

Two boys were presently huddled a few ways off the grounds, both fixing their leathers and protective guards hastily. It was clear that they arrived late; and the only reason they weren't receiving an earful from Herryk right now was because a boy arrived that was even tardier than them.

There was also another reason they caught her attention. She remembered that one of the boys had sent a look her way yesterday that intrigued her. He was the only one who looked at her without trepidation or distaste, and she finally decided to try her luck with him first.

Her thoughts were promptly cut off by Herryk's snarl of annoyance. "Next brat to arrive late shall clean the horse stables, and I am not talking about the royal ones!"

Hela winced, the stables were nasty, to say the least. Full of manure, awful smells, misbehaving horses... At least the royal ones were regularly kept clean by the handlers and servants, but the regular stables were a _nightmare_. The trainees immediately snapped to attention and waited for the next unfortunate soul to come stumbling unawares straight into the lion's den.

When it seemed like no one was going to arrive any time soon, Herryk promptly announced that they were going to spar against their fellow trainees today. Hela grinned, a typical training session then.

"I expect not to see any sort of blundering and fooling around, or it will be the stables for you!" Herryk definitely ruled with an iron fist, and everyone knew it. "No killing each other and use the wooden swords." Then he settled back and relaxed, as if those rules were enough. More than a few blinked at him in bewilderment. Hela rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Now go find a partner!" He barked.

Immediately, most of the boys paired with their friends. Seeing this, Hela wasted no time and immediately went and paired up with the boy from yesterday.

Said boy blinked in surprise, and his friend stared at her in wide-eyed confusion and disbelief. "P-Princess?" He asked uncertainly.

"Greetings," She shot him a friendly grin, "Would you care to be my sparring partner? That is… if you don't mind."

He tensed and glanced at his friend, obviously daunted by her sudden actions. Everyone knows that although the princess usually keeps to herself, no one can deny that she was skilled in training; even Commander Herryk acknowledged this a few times, albeit grudgingly. They both know how the spar would end.

On the other hand, Hela's heart slowly sank; perhaps she had been mistaken. It seems that no one wants anything to do with her after all. Nevertheless, after a moment, the boy visibly gathered himself and nodded. "N-No, of course not, Your Highness."

Hela grinned in relief, and noticed his friend send a reassuring look his way, before leaving to find a different partner. And with that, they took their positions.

"Begin!" Herryk called, and sounds of fighting immediately resonated in the training grounds.

As for the two of them, Hela decided to wait for him to make the first move. The boy remained frozen at her lack of movement, before quickly figuring out that she will be on the defensive and stiffly stepped forward. When she still showed no signs of moving, he finally decided to strike.

Hela's eyes narrowed as she blocked his frankly clumsy attempt. The boy looked resigned and hesitant still, but obediently swung his practice sword. Her body automatically moved to meet his heavy strikes and block them, and she frowned when he continued hesitating, but his swings remained strong. Was he hesitating because she's the princess?

"Please do not hesitate." She told him, and the boy flushed at being caught. "I do not mind. Truly."

The boy frowned, but dutifully obeyed her and went to the offense. He ducked down as she swung over his head, and tried to strike her side, which she immediately sidestepped and followed up with a quick thrust. He hastily brought up his weapon, and the wooden swords clashed. With that, Hela immediately felt his strength, as well as his overdependence on it.

It had been one of Herryk's teachings that she always took seriously; strength was _never_ enough. Skill and speed does more in a fight than simply bashing your way through the battlefield.

He surged forward with a cry, and Hela took advantage of the large opening he left. She immediately spun around him before hooking her sword in his and abruptly wrenched it from his grip, disarming him with ease.

He panted as he shook his aching hand from the rough treatment. Hela relaxed before letting out a small smile, "Not bad. You could use some work with your stances, speed, and technique, but your strikes, while hesitant, are strong. If we work on it more, you will surely become formidable one day."

To her confusion, the boy's eyes – _warm brown, with a curious spark of intelligence behind them_ – blinked. "…We?" He echoed reluctantly.

Hela was suddenly filled with nervousness. Had she completely botched it up? She only wanted to compliment him; despite his admittedly poor skill and stance, everything she said was true. "Do you not want to?" She cursed herself for sounding so unsure, "I do not want to presume… I mean… is it all right for me to accompany you and your friend?" She cursed herself once more. Of all the times for her insecurity to act up!

"I… uh…" He turned to look at the other boy for help, and Hela suddenly noticed that he had already finished with his own spar. And defeated, by the looks of it. His friend made a 'go on' motion with his hands and the first boy froze. "We… would be honored to, Princess Hela." He finally replied, though his panicking eyes betrayed his true feelings on the matter.

Before she could take it back (she doesn't want to _force_ them to become her friend, for god's sake), his friend spoke up. "Are you sure, Your Highness?" He shrugged nonchalantly at her confused look. "I mean, Tyrkir and I are not exactly the most fitting companions for a princess." He obviously possesses none of the shyness of his friend, and Hela almost cracked a smile at his boldness.

"… _Ornulf_!" The first boy – apparently named Tyrkir – immediately hissed, and Ornulf winced, "I… ah… I apologize. I did not mean any offense."

"None taken." She assured them, "You are the first to speak to me without honeyed words. I do not mind. In fact, I prefer it if you continued talking like that."

Almost immediately, Ornulf grinned smugly at Tyrkir, who sighed in defeat. "As you wish."

"Well, since you already know who I am, I am at a disadvantage." Hela tried to defuse the tension by joking, but they still seem tense and she doesn't get why. "What are your names?"

Tyrkir looked to his friend for help before smiling uncertainly. "I am Tyrkir Vifilson, and this is Ornulf. We are honored to meet you, Your Highness."

 _Vifilson_ , Hela noted. _The son of the minister of law._ She remembered that he had been one of the ministers she liked to corner to ask questions about some of Asgard's laws. Some of them, she could find some loopholes. Some also portrays women in a negative light, and she wanted to know what he thinks. Thankfully, he didn't seem prejudiced. He revealed that creating laws requires hearing the various senators' opinions and votes before actually deciding anything. Basically, most of its creation were out of his hands.

Minister Vifil's a kind and intelligent man. He was actually pretty lenient despite his position. The Minister of Security, however, was strict and harsh. Especially since _he_ was the one who actually implements the laws the minister of law creates.

Now that he mentioned it, Tyrkir vaguely looked like his father. They both have the same dark brown hair that looked slightly ruffled, similarly colored eyes, and a reserved posture. He looks like someone who prefers to observe first before doing anything, which looked like the complete opposite of Ornulf who fidgeted nonstop as if he was itching to just blurt out anything his mind can think of and was only marginally silenced by Tyrkir's glares.

Ornulf, on the other hand, looks like a typical Asgardian; all blond hair and bright blue eyes that just seemed to _sparkle_ , and if that wasn't enough, he practically radiated energy like a little kid.

Hela carefully observed the two boys; one standing awkwardly and the other smiling without care. There were no signs of attempted flattery, or any kind of sweet talk and sucking up.

 _Very nice, for her first try_.

Hela perked up, "Does this mean we are–?"

" _You three_!" The two boys instantly jumped out of their skins, and Hela spun around in surprise as an irritated Herryk strode towards them. "This is not the time for play dating. Did you not hear me? I said run! And that includes you, princess!"

"Yes, Commander!" They immediately shouted.

" _What are you waiting for_?"

Both immediately scrambled to obey and ran. Hela stared after their backs for a moment before jogging after them, ignoring the glare threatening to burn a hole at the back of her head.

The training grounds were _huge_ , which made running around the perimeter of it a favorite torture technique of Herryk's. Ten laps around it can make an ordinary person winded. Fifteen will make them lightheaded and dizzy, and twenty-five will already leave them dead on their feet. And Herryk usually wanted _fifty laps or more_.

That was why Hela can _sort of_ understand when already, Tyrkir was tiring after running for just fifteen laps.

Ornulf at least endured seven more before finally slowing down and matching Tyrkir's faltering pace. Hela could only stare, she hadn't even sweated yet. Though she guessed that assessment was a bit unfair. Mainly because Hela had already noticed during the first few years of living in this world that her body does not easily tire and had excellent endurance and stamina even _without_ any previous training.

Hela was stunned herself at the discovery. She hardly felt tired unless her body was pushed to its limits (which was often the case in Herryk's harsh training) It was almost as if this body was fated to be an active one, which felt odd whenever she _knew_ she didn't do any rigorous training but she could still potentially outrun the most seasoned men. She had learned ever since to just consider it one of the perks of this god-like body.

However, the two boys obviously lacked those qualities.

She refrained from talking to them though, knowing that it will only waste their breaths and slow them down even more, and only resolved to keep pace with them.

Soon enough, Tyrkir slowed to a walk, and his friend quickly followed. Knowing that not completing the assigned laps would incite Herryk's wrath but not particularly caring, Hela slowed down as well.

Tyrkir immediately noticed, "What are you doing?" He asked her in surprise, sweat beading his brow. "The commander will get mad at you!"

"We all know you can run a hundred laps more." Ornulf remarked, watching with wide eyes as she stopped completely and proceeded on doing cool-down exercises.

"It's fine, don't worry." She smiled reassuringly at them, making the two blink in bewilderment. Honestly, she just wanted to talk more with her new friends.

After a moment, Ornulf suddenly snorted, the loud sound making Tyrkir turn to him with an almost scandalized expression. "I almost forgot you have the ability to annoy him without even meaning to. And get away with it too! Would the princess care to give a fellow trainee some advice?"

"Become royalty and you're good to go." Hela deadpanned.

Both suddenly snorted while Tyrkir looked as if he would very much like to face-palm, "Odin save me, now there are two of you."

Ornulf shoved him playfully on the shoulder, making him stumble. "Now, don't be like that. We both know that you're always watching the princess. Why, ever since she first joined training-!"

" _Ornulf_!" Tyrkir hissed, and he immediately looked apologetic.

Hela, meanwhile, just shrugged. "Herryk may be a jerk, but he is good at what he does."

Ornulf grinned, "That he is!"

" _PRINCESS_!"

The two boys winced at the volume, but Hela only shrugged at them again and turned to face the music.

It seems that she was successful with her task.

Frigga will be proud.

 **…**

Considering how they have training every day, it was odd how Hela never had the time to approach the two boys again. She could only send a smile, one they always returned, and exchange a few words before being caught up into whatever training regime Herryk had for the day.

It was through those brief interactions that Hela got to know them even more. Her initial observation of Tyrkir was almost spot-on. He's reserved and quiet, only speaking out whenever he's with Ornulf. He also seemed to deeply respect authority figures and royalty, and frequently scolds Ornulf for speaking out of turn. But perhaps the most remarkable thing about him was his intelligence. Undeniably, as a result of his father's influence, Tyrkir knows Asgard's laws inside, out, upside-down, and sideways.

On the other hand, Ornulf was the kind of person that made her want to protect him. He's incredibly sweet and lively, but also had a daring and confident attitude. It seems he's just a son of an ordinary Asgardian citizen, and only came to the palace for the chance to train and become a guard.

Both of them weren't as well-known as the other trainees, who were sons of Lords, Ministers, and Generals, and so it made sense that Hela never took notice of them. She regrets that now.

It's just a shame she couldn't get to spend time with them as much. They couldn't even meet after training. Ornulf always says that Tyrkir had to run off to do his 'duties' (Hela resolves to ask him what he does when she has the chance) and Ornulf himself couldn't stay for long because he had to take care of his sick mother.

Hela immediately offered him the help of the palace healers, but Ornulf stubbornly declined. His mother had been doing well already, so there was no need. She reluctantly backed down, and resolved to help immediately if she ever heard her condition worsen.

Not counting all that, Hela also had her own responsibilities to do. Lessons with Vor, the other instructors, and her Mother took up almost the entire day. The life of royalty was terribly busy; she doesn't know how Thor and Loki ever had the free time to do their adventures when they were young. Skipping lessons will be something Odin would highly disapprove of should he hear about it, and Hela didn't want his attention on her now. Nor ever.

However, the Norns seem to smile on her today. Vor postponed her lessons, saying she had an urgent business to take care of, and so she had free time. To her surprise, Tyrkir was given a break after doing his duties tirelessly (which she still doesn't know about) and Ornulf wasn't expected back home until a few hours. It's the perfect opportunity, and Ornulf knew it.

He's dragging them through the palace before they made sense of what was happening, and he laughed as Tyrkir half-heartedly attempted to swipe at him. "Just follow me!" He led them through the halls, sidestepping servants and guards who just stared at the trio in confusion. Hela laughed along with him, oddly touched that he went and included her.

"I found a perfect spot to be our lair." Ornulf stage-whispered. "Since we have the princess in our group, we _have_ to have a secret lair!"

"You do know that I know every nook and cranny in this place, right?" Hela grinned, amused by his antics. Judging by the path they took, they were heading directly towards…

" _Shh_! Tyrkir still doesn't know!" Ornulf waved a finger her way and Hela obligingly shut up. Tyrkir just groaned. "Ornulf, don't point at the princess. It's rude."

"We're here!" Ornulf cheerfully ignored Tyrkir and presented the huge door. "Our new lair!"

Tyrkir opened the door and poked his head inside. "Oh…"

Hela poked her head next to his, "It's one of the unused lounges. Good choice, Ornulf."

" _Good choice_?" Tyrkir turned to her aghast, "Are we even allowed to use rooms in the palace? Surely not–"

"Sure. I'll ask my mother to let us use this room." Hela shrugged. "I'll say it's for me and my friends, she won't argue with that." Hela told them. She's pretty sure Frigga will be delighted to know she's going into such lengths for her new friends.

Tyrkir gaped while Ornulf clapped his hands once, "That's great!"

"Guess I'll ask the servants to redecorate it. We'll need books, tables, and comfortable couches. Those ones look terribly dusty and firm. I suppose a new set of curtains too."

Ornulf practically ran inside, "I'll light the fireplace!"

Hela glanced at Tyrkir, who was still gaping at them. "You all right?"

"I almost forgot that you're a princess and the Queen is your mother." He chuckled nervously, "Are you sure we're allowed to do this? No one would get angry?"

Hela grinned, happy instead of offended that he forgot her position so easily. Guess this meant she's doing the friendship thing right. She doesn't want them to think of her as someone they only befriended only for the wealth and glory of royalty. "Of course we're allowed. No one ever uses these rooms, besides, the Queen would be delighted." The King, on the other hand, probably couldn't care less.

"Hey Hela," Ornulf's head popped out from behind the couch. "Can you get the servants to add a secret room to our lair? Just like in the stories of old!"

"You mean the ones with the hidden room behind the bookcase?"

"Ornulf!" Tyrkir hissed, "That's completely unnecessary. Besides, we shouldn't impose on their hospitality."

The boy pouted, while Hela only laughed.

A few minutes later, Hela had succeeded in sending off servants to get new furniture for their new abode and fixing the place up. Ornulf was practically jumping through the ceiling with his enthusiasm while Tyrkir helped the servants as much as he could.

"Thank you, my Lord." An elderly woman smiled kindly as Tyrkir assisted her with carrying a basin full of water. "These old bones aren't as strong as they used to."

Hela watched them, fighting the urge to smile. A light nudge on her side made her glance at Ornulf, and she stared in surprise at his reluctant gaze. "Your Highness… I-I just wanted to say thank you. I know this probably seems a simple thing to you, but for us, this is indeed too much." He breathed deeply, his fingers nervously twitching. "Just in case you thought otherwise, we are not friends with you for your wealth or anything. Tyrkir and I are not like that."

Hela stared still, not knowing what to do with the suddenly nervous Ornulf. She wasn't used to see him be so unconfident and unsure. "You're welcome." She said gently, "I know you aren't like that. You two aren't the type."

Ornulf seemed to deflate in relief, "I just thought… you looked impassive, and I thought you secretly disapprove. I don't want–" He abruptly stopped.

"You don't want… what?" She gently probed.

Ornulf seemed to light up in front of her eyes. "I was about to say I don't want to lose our new lair before we even started. Thank the Norns you approve."

Hela chuckled, "Of course I approve. It will be nice to have a place of our own. For the sake of decorum, I can't exactly let you in my room."

" _The princess's room_?" They both turned as Tyrkir practically marched up to Ornulf, face bright red in either anger or embarrassment. "You asked to be let inside the _princess's_ room?!"

Ornulf backed away from the fuming boy, hands held up defensively. "Don't worry, she didn't agree, so I said I'll let _you_ go in my stead."

Hela snorted as Tyrkir reddened even further in anger. " _You what?!"_

Ornulf turned and ran out the room, Tyrkir following hot on his heels. The sounds of chaos and yelling filled the corridors, and more than one servant chuckled. "It is good to see you making friends, Your Highness."

Hela smiled happily in the elderly woman's direction. "Thank you, Astrid."

The woman's eyes widened in shock for being recognized, but it was drowned out by the other servant's inquiries. "The Minister's son? I heard he's a smart boy."

"I can't say I recognized the other boy you were talking to."

"It is rare indeed to see you out of your room, Your Highness."

Hela just smiled as she answered their questions and helped move the new furniture. With any luck, Tyrkir and Ornulf would be back soon to help. After all, _they_ were the ones who requested the secret lair in the first place.

 **…**

It was nearly night. Hela trailed off as she looked out the window; however, one look from Vor had her finishing answering the question.

Vor nodded as Hela successfully recited the names of all thirty-three dwarf warriors who successfully drove back Ulik the Rock Troll from conquering their realm centuries ago. "Very good, Your Highness. It seems we are finally finished with the Rock Troll Invasion in Nidavellir."

Hela grinned, "Thank the Norns, I swear I will go completely mad if I hear another gods-forsaken dwarf name like _Glamnaeth_."

Vor only raised an eyebrow, "It seems I saved Asgard from an unfortunate disaster just in time. Mayhap I should give myself a pat in the back?"

Hela snorted, "Oh never change, Vor!"

"I do not intend to."

Hela shook her head, still grinning. "Well, now that we are done with that, what is the next topic for the day? Or night now, I suppose."

"How about enlightening me as to why you seemed to have such an overreaction to the knowledge of Odin being your father? And I trust you will not think me foolish enough to fall for your frankly pitiful excuses."

Hela stiffened and sighed, "Must you _always_ continue asking that, Vor? I told you I was just confused at the time and–"

Vor raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

She flinched, "I-It's private. Please do not ask. And it's true that I was just confused that day. It was really nothing you should concern yourself with."

For the last few years, Vor had never failed to raise that question whenever she got the opportunity. She never believed anything Hela tells her, and Hela had frankly begun to feel too tired to think of new excuses every time.

Now, it was Vor's turn to sigh. "I never liked not knowing something. You know this. I might not let this go for a long time."

"I know." Honestly, if there was anyone who must _absolutely_ know her secret, she doesn't mind that it's Vor. It's not just because she was the least likely to start spouting her secrets as soon as her back was turned, but also because she might actually understand her situation and help her through it. Hela had no doubt Frigga would do the same, but the fact remains that Frigga remains too close to the canon story that knowing the slightest thing might impact the future in a lot of ways.

Vor immediately pinned her with one of those knowing gazes that never failed to make her squirm. "Then I expect an answer in the next century or so. At the earliest."

Hela sniggered before cowering at Vor's serious glare. "I understand."

Vor then straightened, steepling both her fingers together and leaning her chin on them. "Now, how are your seidr lessons coming along? I heard you are learning from the Queen?"

"The finest and most talented seidkona in Asgard herself." Hela declared proudly. "It is truly an honor to learn from her."

She could still remember the time when she pleaded to Frigga to let her practice magic. She had just finished learning the first few forms of combat and academic lessons then, the instructors telling her parents on how fast she absorbed every lesson, as well as all the arguments and debates she sparked through her ideas and hypotheses about various controversial topics about Asgard's history and beliefs.

It was through these that she quickly discovered that Asgard was both advanced and backwards in their technology, beliefs, and practices, and that they don't easily accept new things, and that fact made her want to tear her hair out in countless occasions. To think they still refused to accept the fact that women were equally as capable in combat and could do dangerous work like men was _unacceptable_. It seemed that even though the Valkyries existed at this time, they were still mostly considered a legend and therefore, a dream not really attainable by _little girls_ like herself.

Despite those drawbacks though, the compliments about her prodigious intelligence and skill were plentiful, (though she suspects most of those were flowery words designed to earn her favor). Her instructors, and much to her surprise, including _Vor_ , remarked that she would make an excellent philosopher if it weren't for her status as heir.

Frigga and Odin had both been bewildered and visibly pleased after hearing those reports. It made Hela's chest burst with happiness at the thought of making her parents proud, but she still felt uneasy.

Judging by what she could hear from the servants' gossip, it had been _centuries_ since a child had been hailed a prodigy. To think that the next one came from Odin's line was a cause for celebration and incessant scrutiny.

That was not the kind of pressure or attention Hela wants or needs right now. But it seemed something Asgardians were determined to give no matter what she wished.

One thing she immediately learned about this place was that Asgard takes its feasts _very_ seriously. The smallest good things were cause for celebration, and the servants always prepared the best food, meat, and mead they could offer. All the partying was frankly very tiring and annoying, but she knows that's what Asgardians were known for, and so she always had to pretend to like it so she could be considered as one of them.

Even Frigga and Odin enjoyed these kinds of things, and she quietly observed from her spot in the table as Frigga smiles and sips a glass of wine while Odin laughs heartily at one of the funny songs of the bards. It was times like these when Hela remembers that Odin was still young and hadn't conquered any realms or mighty kingdoms yet. He was still too open, boisterous, and loud. Very much like Thor in the first Thor movie. He was not yet wise nor had he been tainted by the horrors of war.

While mostly a warrior, Odin also wields seidr, but only when the situation absolutely requires it. On the outside, Odin was only known as an incredible warrior and king. But again, he was still young, and she knew he will most likely balk and become disappointed if she asks him.

And with that, Hela knew that he was not the person she should ask to teach her about seidr.

Seidr was a rare art in Asgard, and something that was best practiced in secret or not at all if one does not want to be ostracized. And frankly speaking, Aesir does not like seidr wielders. They consider them weak, effeminate, and mere tricksters and cowards. Women were given some leeway, however, the most they could practice were scrying and the most simplest of magics. The practice was frowned upon, and even _servants_ would mock its practitioners. Simply put, if you want to be a seidmadr, you were best off living in Vanaheim, the realm of magic.

However, Hela couldn't leave Asgard even if she wanted to. She's the heir and the princess. She suspects this must be the reason why Loki didn't leave too. Nevertheless, she wanted to learn it. And who best to ask but one of the most powerful seidr wielders in this kingdom?

And so she turned to Frigga.

"Mother, can we talk?"

Frigga smiles at her patiently, and she felt her hesitation disappearing with just one kind look from her mother.

"Of course, my darling."

She led Frigga outside the dining hall, the noises of celebration and boisterous laughing cut off when the doors slammed closed behind them. She immediately exhaled in relief and longed to rub her ears to get rid of the ringing sound left over from the noise inside. She liked the occasional party as much as the next person, but it _does_ become boring and monotonous when all everyone does for fun around here was _party all night long for almost every week_.

Something must have shown in her face, because Frigga then turned to gaze at her curiously, "Do you not like the feast?" She inquired.

"No, no, it is fine. I am absolutely honored that people wanted to throw a feast in my honor." Hela was quick to assure her. _No one can say she was ungrateful._ "Though I still maintain my belief that being good in one's studies is not a cause for celebration as grand as this."

Frigga slowly shook her head as soon as she said the last words and moved to gently lift up her chin, her eyes boring into hers intently. "Hela, you are our sweet, beautiful, and clever daughter. _Of course_ _we will throw a feast for you._ After all, the Princess of Asgard deserves nothing less."

Hela felt her heart soar at those words and fought the urge to beam. Right now, she needed to be as serious as she could. "I thank you for your kind words, Mother. But this is actually about something else."

Frigga leaned back at that. "Oh?"

Hela strengthened her resolve. "Mother, I wish to learn magic."

Her mother's eyes widened.

She sighed and prepared to defend her decision, "Mother, please. I feel it, crawling under my skin, begging to be used. I just don't know how." She looked up at her imploringly, "I could not ask Father because he will probably laugh at me or ignore me, but you are one of the most powerful magic users in all the Nine. I know it is frowned upon, but I really want to learn how." She pleaded, "Please teach me, Mother."

She _had_ to agree. Didn't Frigga also teach Loki magic even when male seidr users were frowned upon? So she wouldn't refuse her daughter, right?

"You do not have to beg, my daughter. All you have to do is ask."

Hela looked up in surprise only to meet Frigga's delighted smile. "I am aware there are only a few seidmadr and seidkona currently residing in Asgard, not unlike Vanaheim where there are _thousands_ of us. I am immensely happy to know my own daughter shows interest in learning the art."

Hela grinned so wide her cheeks started to hurt, utterly thrilled as she was at the prospect of learning _magic_ , of all things. This second life truly was a dream come true! "Thank you, Mother!"

And so her magic lessons began. At day, she attended lessons with Vor about language, etiquette, history, and arithmetic ( _even in another world, no one can escape math),_ but at night, she practiced wielding her seidr under Frigga's patient eye. Her mother said she would teach her how to manipulate her seidr to levitate things, how to cast illusions, and how to conjure.

She warned that it would be _very_ slow work, but Hela was completely willing to see it through. No one could push her away from her goal now. Especially since she had no doubt it would prove to be useful in the future. She will not be like any other Aesir who only knew how to fight physically and had no other means to defend themselves when incapacitated. She will make her mother proud.

"Unlike galdrmadr and the vitki, seidkona does not need to say runes or spells to wield seidr. Instead, it is all about intent and focus." Frigga had instructed, and waved a hand over the room. Instantly, their surroundings changed into that of a rich and abundant _forest_. Inside her _room!_

Complete with a freaking _waterfall_.

"Crafting illusions may be complex and difficult, but once you practice it repeatedly, it will cease to be so." Frigga continued, showing no signs of fatigue after creating such a complex illusion.

Hela was still gaping around the room and slowly reached out a finger to poke one of the branches hanging near her. Instantly, the illusion shimmered, and the forest flickered fleetingly into the boring old walls of her room before strengthening again. "And _that_ is one of the flaws of illusions. Once someone touches it or you lose concentration, it will weaken."

 _Oh_ … so _that's_ why Loki's doppelgangers always disappear whenever someone runs through them.

"Is there any way to render the illusions solid?" Hela asked curiously.

Frigga slowly shook her head, "Illusions are just that, illusions. They are only tricks used to fool and mislead the eye into believing that it is real. However, if it is solid things you wish to produce, then it is conjuring you must study."

Hela hurriedly shook her head, "I wish to learn both, Mother. Teach me anything you think I am capable of, and I promise to do my best to make you proud."

Frigga beamed with pride, "If that is what you wish, my daughter, but know that you have already made me proud."

…

Years of relentless practice and training passed, and it was then they soon realized that Hela's abilities were not suited for creating illusions nor healing. Instead, her magic leans towards the more _destructive_ side of things. Hela had almost lost count of how many windows and mirrors she shattered when all she wanted to do was make it look like stone. The most she could do was create the simplest of illusions like a pen or a book, and not something more complex like a person. And the healing arts just seem to dislike her, enough said.

She had worried and been frightened by her destructive and violent magic. It made her wonder fearfully if learning how to fight and use seidr will only bring her one step closer into becoming the original Hela, and Frigga had had to console her repeatedly. "Seidr has many forms," She had murmured into her hair, "we just need to find the right one for you."

And so she did. Frigga – _brilliant and clever Frigga_ – proposed that if Hela's seidr doesn't specialize in creating illusions and tricks, then it's probably because it specializes in conjuring _real_ things.

This began new sessions, with Frigga slowly and patiently teaching Hela how to conjure simple things like feathers and pens, and Hela found that _she could do so easily_. It took practice and endless sleepless nights of course, but at last, she could conjure them with just a flick of her wrists, all without explosions or accidents. Frigga then looked at her with such pride and endless joy, and Hela quickly realized that seidr wasn't just an ability for the Queen. It was her _life_ , and she had probably been hurt by Asgard's low opinion of seidr and had been beyond delighted when Hela asked her to teach her.

Hela then found herself wondering when it went wrong for Loki. Seidr was a beautiful art and one that deserves to be shown with pride, but surely Loki knew the consequences of learning and showing it to others?

Unless he didn't.

Hela slowly began to realize what really happened in the canon past that Marvel didn't show. After all, her inquisitive mind wouldn't settle for anything else. The picture her mind painted proceeded to make her blanch.

In the original Asgard, Frigga most likely felt alone while surrounded by the Aesir's disdain for seidkona. It probably hurt when Thor didn't show even the slightest interest in learning seidr. But when Loki finally came and expressed interest, she then probably proceeded to teach him _everything_ she knows so she won't be alone. And young and naïve Loki, who was obviously delighted with his new ability and probably thought that if the Queen had it, then it was okay, proceeded to show everyone, which immediately made them dislike and ostracize him.

Odin and Thor might have led him to that point due to their neglect and indifference, but Frigga wasn't entirely blameless for what happened. She should have warned him that learning the art was dangerous in this realm but she neglected to do so, much like how she neglected to do so with Hela herself. And she knew if she was indeed the child they think she was, then she would probably show off her new abilities to her father and the servants, and then where would she be?

The realization that she had been manipulated made her sick.

But perhaps manipulation was too strong a word. Frigga only meant well, and it must be hard to be from the only magical realm in the Nine and then forced to hide abilities you have practiced your whole life. In a way, Hela could understand, but the realization of what Loki must've experienced still left a bad taste in her mouth.

So on top of protecting her brothers, avoiding making Loki feel neglected, helping to teach him seidr, hopefully telling him his true identity without repercussions, and countless other things, Hela must also tell him not to show anyone his abilities lest he becomes detested by his peers. It would be something a normal child would not understand, but she couldn't risk him not learning seidr completely. It had been one of his most defining and recognizable traits, and she wouldn't want to take that away from him. He would hate her, for sure.

And so Hela kept silent, and smiled back at her mother's obvious joy and pride.

 **…**

Knowing that Vor was watching her intently, Hela exhaled and slowly produced fire with a flick of her wrists, concentrating to keep the bright flames dancing in her palm. However, just like anything she had ever conjured the first time, the flames only grew stronger and bigger the longer she left it on.

Vor's eyes immediately glinted and she barely suppressed a smile. "Excellent work, Princess." She eyed the flames that were much taller than her head now. "You are powerful, that much I can see. The Queen must be proud."

"I sure hope so." Hela grinned.

A moment passed and the flames only got bigger and brighter. Vor had to crane her neck now to keep the entirety of it within her vision. "Are you sure you are not doing this deliberately? Normally, flames produced by seidr extinguishes when the wielder is not concentrated or if it is left for too long."

"I am putting the barest amount of thought into it." Hela promised.

Vor frowned, glanced at her, at the flames, and back, before parting her lips soundlessly in realization.

Hela tilted her head in curiosity but Vor waved her off, "It is just a thought. Now put that out lest you exhaust yourself or burn down the whole library. Our lessons are not yet done."

Hela grinned and complied, swiftly extinguishing the flames.

 **…**

 **Thank you for reading, please review! Ideas are also welcome!**


	5. Her Birthright

**Can I just say how I am absolutely blown away by the response this story is getting? All your reviews and positive reactions are so heartwarming I am literally about to cry as I read. I can't thank all of you enough for how supportive all of you had been even though I took so long to update. I tried my best to update as soon as I could, and I only just found the time. This is my gift to you guys!**

 **About some of the questions...**

 **Answers:**

 **\- Yes, Hela is definitely going to be part of the war.**

 **\- Yes, she is also going to Midgard before canon.**

 **\- By the way, Asgard's politics and way of life are both hypocritical and very stressful to write, so I'm glad you guys liked it. ^^**

 **\- Time skips will occur, but not big ones, because Hela still needs to develop and mature as a character. Plus, I still need to do a lot of world and character building. Hope you guys will be with me every step of the way.**

 **\- Yes, she can probably conjure something that heals, but she can't do healing magic itself.**

 **\- Yes, I don't plan on Hela revealing everything to one person. Only half-truths.**

 **\- I believe everyone has a dark side to them, Frigga is no exception.**

 **\- And I guess I agree with all of you guys' assessment of GoD!Hela's abilities and skills being more powerful than canon!Hela. I guess skill does triumph over ruthlessness in the end.**

 **And that's it!**

 **Thank you so much to reviewers kyro232, Kumo64, Zaralann, Angelicsailor, Allhailthesith, PotatoMonstah, Kaiya Azure, kossboss, ShotoGun, Samara Holmes, Bronzelove, Muddykat, Lourdes08, tylermech66, serus black antihumannature, xxTesa, LuluViBritania, Daughter of Trickery, gabby, Falling Right Side-Up, Re Fenrir, Ataxius, Enchant Nightingale, Lizzy, J, Crazysister101, chicamia6, Guest 1, pengo007, robertastarcris11, Raphaim, Blackholelord, InfinityMask, Yukatana, joniskpelare, and Guest 2. I love you all!**

 **P.S. Thank you also for being so supportive of my OCs Tyrkir and Ornulf. I was quite nervous to reveal them, to be honest. Really glad it paid off.**

 **P.P.S. I am so happy to see reviewers that are from other countries. Thank you for taking the time to review xxTesa! I don't mind a review in another language, in fact, I'm excited to see that everyone is interested in my story! Thank you again and I'll take your ideas into consideration.**

 **And without further ado, here is chapter 5.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five:**

 **Her Birthright**

* * *

Odin gazed down the training grounds silently, the few people who noticed him offering a bow and murmured pleasantries.

He was not interested in entertaining them right now.

Grunts and groans of pain sounded from the grounds, the latter of which coming from a boy who was most certainly getting kicked around by his bored daughter very easily. He watched as Hela leapt and struck a foot out which caught the boy in the stomach and sent him hurtling across the grounds.

His daughter idly flipped her sword, gaze impassive as she watched her opponent try to get up before slumping back on the wall with a groan. Their trainer only nodded his head in her direction before gesturing for the next opponent to take his position. There was no fanfare, yet Hela seemed content. Not a warrior who likes songs sung in his or her praise then, but a silent one, capable of striking in the dark without anyone noticing.

As if sensing his gaze, he watched his daughter turn silently, until her green eyes met his own blue ones. There was no surprise, only impassiveness. No desire to get his approval then.

Very curious.

Hela inclined her head, before turning back to her opponent, who looked confident in his chances to win. Even from his viewpoint, he knew his daughter would triumph. Through his daughter's own insistence for harsher training and her determination, she quickly became proficient in the art of combat; already mastering the sword, daggers, axe, spear, war hammer, mace, and was moving on to more complicated weapons and forms. Truly a natural prodigy.

As expected, she made quick work of her new opponent, and the next, and the one after that. Soon enough, it was done. The only signs of her fatigue was a slightly hitched breath, but nothing more. And in that moment, he had never seen anyone as beautiful and deadly as she.

"Hela."

His daughter looked up at him, before saluting with her fist over her heart. "Father."

He watched her for a long moment; his intense gaze not even making her fidget. It almost made him smile. "Come, we must talk."

She gazed inquisitively at him, before following after him.

They walked for a moment, Hela effortlessly matching his pace with her own. Their synchronized footsteps echoed in the vast halls of the palace and they seem to have no destination in mind.

After a long moment, his curious daughter finally turned to him. "Why have you called me, Father? Is there something wrong?"

His amused gaze met hers again, "Does a father need a reason to spend time with his daughter?"

Hela pursed her lips before shaking her head, "No, I suppose not. But you have to forgive me," she then cracked a wry grin. "Since you haven't really spent time with me for more than five minutes before now."

That surprised a chuckle out of him at her sheer audacity that had Hela glancing at him in surprise at the corner of her eye. "I suppose your mother is right once again."

"About what?"

He abruptly sobered and stopped. Hela accidentally walked a bit more before turning back in surprise. Ignoring her look, he slowly took her in.

Even after so many years under the sun, his daughter remained pale. Her black hair was tied into a messy knot on top of her head, the dark color a sharp contrast to her skin. He often wondered how she got such a color. Then again, his twin brothers Vili and Ve both have black hair, albeit tanned skin. Her green eyes were wise and knowing, and though she was only wearing training gear, his daughter still managed to maintain a regal and mature air about her.

Truly someone fitting to be the heir to Asgard's throne.

He glanced at her, before making up his mind. "Follow me."

Odin quickly strode off, leaving Hela to scramble after him. They both walked through the palace in a rapid pace, past the guards and servants milling around the halls, past countless doors, down the steps, and further down they went. After a while, he could feel Hela's knowing gaze on his back, and almost smiled. It seems the rumors about his daughter's intelligence and wit was also true.

Finally, they reached the Weapon's Vault. Odin waved away the two guards present, who saluted before turning to leave.

"I don't suppose you have been here before?"

Hela looked amused, "If you are suggesting if I have sneaked into the Weapon's Vault… No, I have not."

"Most would not resist the chance to be in a room full of forbidden and powerful relics."

"Except it is not yet 'full', is it?" She smirked.

Odin laughed, "I never realized I have such an impudent daughter."

"Perhaps you'll know if you actually spent time with me."

Odin paused and turned to look at Hela, whose pale cheeks pinked in embarrassment. "I apologize for my insolence, Father."

He still stared at her. "Your mother has been mentioning a few interesting things."

That got her attention. "What kinds of things?" She asked slowly.

He gazed at her seriously. "Tell me, my daughter. Have I been neglecting you?"

His daughter's eyes widened at his forwardness, and she visibly stiffened. The look on her face, however, revealed the truth.

He barely restrained the urge to sigh. "I see."

Hela frowned, but said nothing.

"In truth, I haven't realized." He said honestly. "I don't suppose you'll understand, but I have been busy preparing for war. The other realms are growing restless as of late."

She should have only nodded and moved on. After all, war should be a foreign concept to a child, and yet young Hela's eyes blazed with understanding, but also accusation. "There is no war, Father. There are only those you wish to make."

He immediately scowled, "What are you implying, daughter?"

Her posture quickly turned submissive, but the fire in her eyes says otherwise. "I am only implying that everything is peaceful at the moment, so why do you feel the need to fight?"

"' _Why do I feel the need to fight'_?" Odin echoed in disbelief. "I fight for the good of Asgard. I fight for our people. The other realms are becoming more aggressive, who is to say they would not turn their wrath on Asgard? It is best we extinguish the spark before it becomes a flame."

His daughter looked frustrated, but her voice retained its diplomatic tone. "No, you fight to conquer. You fight so that Asgard can expand its territories and subjugate other realms. You are fighting when there is no reason to fight." Her voice took on a pleading tone, and Odin was almost appalled to find such weakness.

He expected more from her.

She was not yet done, however. "If you must _truly_ fight, then please do not be the instigators of conflict. Retaliation is better and more justifiable than outright violence."

Now it was Odin's turn to look furious, and he didn't bother hiding that fact. "You are saying I should let Asgard lie on its back and wait to be attacked before exacting revenge. Why should I need to justify my actions when I know I am right?" He shook his head, "I do not know why your instructors say you are a prodigy; you are still clearly a child." He pinned her with his intense gaze, "I only allowed you to learn how to fight; that does not mean you can claim to know the rules of war and lecture me, _my daughter_."

Hela flinched and turned silent, the fire in her eyes slowly dying. She breathed slowly, "I apologize again, Father."

Odin fought back the urge to rub his temple; how could he let the situation get out of hand? His daughter was clearly distressed by his apparent 'neglect' of her. Yelling at her probably did not do him any favors.

Besides, Frigga would _slaughter_ him if she found out what happened here.

"It is of no consequence. I just hope you'll understand that all I do, I do it for Asgard, for Frigga, and for you."

She looked surprised, "Me?"

In response, he silently led her across the room, into a hidden alcove, until they were standing in a chamber within the Vault. Hela gasped, and he smiled before gesturing to the lifelike mural on the walls. "What you see here, is the entirety of Yggdrasil."

Flabbergasted, Hela walked forward, her head craning this way and that, and slowly took in the chamber that was glowing with the light of a billion stars, whole galaxies, and gigantic nebulae, all of which she could see were connected by tendrils and wisps of light, gas, and dust; the pattern almost resembling the branches of a tree.

Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

"Beautiful, is it not? Though I must say this does not compare to reality, which only Heimdall truly sees in its entirety."

Hela turned back to look at her father, who came to stand beside her. "This is why I had been so busy that it appeared as if I am neglecting you. I want to assure you that I am not. I only wanted to give you this." He gestured to the universe before them, as if presenting her a gift tied with a bow. "As the future Queen of Asgard, you deserve nothing less."

Hela looked shocked, and her breathing had turned shallow. "You mean for me to rule all _this_?"

He nodded, pleased that she understood. "It is your birthright."

Her face suddenly contorted unpleasantly. "And for that to happen, you would wage war?"

Odin frowned again, "Hela–"

"Father, I don't want any of this." Hela looked desperate. As for why, he doesn't know. "Please reconsider, if you are truly doing this for me."

Odin felt his face turn hard, and Hela visibly flinched from the sight. "It is not just for you, Hela." He said, the words firm and final. "I also said it was for Asgard. As its King, I must do what is asked of me." He gazed coldly at her, "This will be the last time I will hear you disagree."

It was a command, not a statement.

And with that, he turned away, leaving Hela to gaze after him helplessly.

 **…**

Enthusiastic cheers suddenly erupted from the stands near the boundaries of the forest and Hela inwardly winced. Only Frigga's encouraging hand at her back kept her from jumping on Dagny's back and bolting far away.

 _Show no fear. Only confidence and authority._

 _Be the heir they expect you to be._

She forced herself to straighten and look confident, but the sight of the sheer amount of people in the stands as she turned around the corner immediately made her duck down in embarrassment.

Noticing her nervousness, Frigga gave her an encouraging smile. "Be at ease, my dearest." Frigga whispered soothingly. "This will be but a confirmation of what I already knew. I have full confidence in your abilities."

Hela perked up at those words. Had she ever mentioned how much she absolutely _loved_ Frigga?

Still… this was the coming-of-age ceremony. Everyone, and she meant _everyone_ , in Asgard was watching, and if she completely floundered and blustered her way through this, everyone in Asgard will know how much of a _fraud_ she really was.

Hela took a deep breath and tried to steady her pounding heart. She could do this. She tried desperately to recall everything she learned from Herryk. A quick glance around the stands and she immediately saw the huge commander scowling darkly in the front seats as the cheers steadily grew louder. Sensing her gaze, his eyes turned to meet hers, and to her surprise, he nodded stiffly.

She blinked, and the moment was gone.

Huh. He truly _does_ care.

Right beside him was Vor, who sat primly and straight-backed in her seat. She nodded as well, and smiled.

A gentle push at her back from Frigga caught her attention. "Off you go." She said kindly.

"Thank you, Mother." Hela told her sincerely before heading off to where the other trainees were gathering to prepare themselves.

"Hela!" A yell followed by a grunt of pain sounded behind her, and she turned to see a sheepish Ornulf apologizing to Tyrkir, who looked resigned. "We are in public Ornulf, we must refer to the Princess with respect."

"Sorry~!" Ornulf laughed and beamed at Hela, "So Princess, are you ready to slay some dragons?"

Tyrkir rolled his eyes skyward as if looking for guidance, and Hela resisted the urge to giggle. "For the last time Ornulf, there are no dragons in Asgard!"

Ornulf stuck out his tongue, "Even if there isn't, you wouldn't know, would you Tyrkir? You _never_ go outside the palace."

Tyrkir reddened and Hela laughed, "Good to see you aren't nervous in the least, friends."

"Nervous? We are _terrified_!" Ornulf exclaimed, a fixed smile on his face.

 _Ah_ , Hela realized. _I guess we all have our own means of coping._

"Bringing back an animal smaller than a boar is already considered shameful. But what am I supposed to do when I cannot even _approach_ the damn thing?" Tyrkir sighed heavily.

"I am certain you will do fine." Hela quickly reassured them. "It doesn't have to be a boar. A stag is a suitable replacement. Just find those and you will be good to go."

"… I suppose you are right." Tyrkir said reluctantly.

"I will probably try hunting a moose. Or a lion if I can find one." Ornulf decided, and Tyrkir shot him a resigned glare.

As if the rest heard their conversation, declarations of animals they will hunt began echoing in the area; cries for boars, lions, and even _dragons'_ heads ultimately made Tyrkir groan. "Why does no one ever believe there are no dragons in Asgard? The only way there would be is if Nidhogg managed to find itself all the way up here from Yggdrasil's roots."

"Perhaps because you are mentally an old man with no imagination?" Ornulf teased.

"Says the overgrown child." Tyrkir shot back.

"Friends," Hela fought the urge to laugh at the two. Was it odd she found them adorable? "That is just nerves talking. Both of you will do great, I know it."

The two immediately reddened at her words. Ornulf shoved Tyrkir, who proceeded to smile shyly. "Thank you, Hela." He said.

The noise suddenly quelled, and the three turned just in time to see Asgard's King Odin ascend the platform, his Queen Frigga a step behind him. Odin slammed Gungnir on the ground, the sound immediately calling everyone's attention.

Hela felt herself straighten unconsciously at the sight of her father, their conversation in the Vaults still weighing heavily on her mind.

"Today's occasion is important for many reasons," Odin's eyes roved over them one by one, until they rested on her. Hela stared right back. "The coming-of-age ceremony is a traditional Aesir rite that would determine your future and standing in this realm. It is the time when you are neither a child, nor a man. Prove yourself, and the reward will be great.

"Whosoever brings back the largest and the most dangerous creature shall be the victor. A whole day shall be allotted for this ceremony, and everyone must return before the sun rises on the morrow." His eyes moved away from her, and Hela exhaled in relief.

Odin's attention always makes her feel uncomfortable, considering how rare he acknowledges her. She could probably count with one hand the total amount of interactions they have had over the years. "You may bring your own weapons and packs for the hunt. Helping your opponents and the use of seidr is prohibited." Here, his eyes met hers again, and she resisted the urge to scowl. "Prepare yourselves, and may the Norns smile upon you all today."

With that, the King of Asgard settled on his throne on the stage, and everyone proceeded to scramble for their chosen weapons and packs.

Hela stared all around her; watching her fellow trainees hefting large battle axes, long swords, maces, and spears, Tyrkir with his sword and Ornulf with a sword and a bow and arrow, before turning to stare at her own conjured long sword. It seemed flimsy compared to the weapons the others were carrying.

Tyrkir seemed to notice her dilemma, because he stared blankly at the sword. "The King and Queen did not provide you with weapons?"

"Perhaps they wanted me to make it on my own, without any outside help." She suggested, though she inwardly cursed at the fact that she does not have her own weapon. All she had were her packs and conjured swords, but seidr wasn't even allowed, so there will be no extra supplies of weapons.

Perhaps Odin wanted to punish her for being so insolent and disrespectful in the Vaults. However, if it was, then how low of him indeed. Frigga, she kind of understands. Her mother was Vanir; they wouldn't have a rite of passage such as this. Perhaps she simply didn't know.

Continuing to curse at this oversight, Hela proceeded on conjuring two more swords which she placed in scabbards at her hips. Then, she conjured a set of knives and daggers and put them on her belt. And finally, she conjured a bow and arrows for hunting, which she slung at her back.

Conjuring was a complicated branch of magic, because the longer someone maintains the conjuration, the more it saps your strength. It was the same with illusions, but harder. She had always been better with conjuration than illusions, so she suspects the magic will hold, but not for long.

"I have to kill the first dangerous beast I will find." She resolved. _Or else she will be left with nothing._

Tyrkir and Ornulf glanced at each other, before staring at her in concern. "Are you certain you will be all right, Your Highness?" Tyrkir asked anxiously, "I mean, if those disappear eventually, you will be a sitting duck."

"She'll be all right." Ornulf countered, "Hela is the best warrior in our group. She can handle herself. I am more worried about _us_!"

Tyrkir cringed, "That is true."

"It also doesn't help the fact that we are also forbidden from helping each other." Hela sighed, "I could really use the help."

All three collectively sighed in defeat.

"Norns help us."


	6. The Hunt Begins

**Belated Happy Holidays everyone! This was meant to be updated on New Year, but real life got in the way... Anyway, thank you so much again to all the reviewers and readers who favorited and followed this story! I love you all so much!**

* * *

 **Review replies: ( Please read, some are important!)**

 **\- Hela tried talking Odin down, but since his mind didn't change, she then proceeded on persuading him to take the option which is the least likely to backfire on them; which is to allow the other realms to strike first so that Asgard is justified in attacking back. Instead of the image of Asgard subjugating other realms, Hela meant for Odin to make the result of the war as Asgard to be the one who only defended itself and later sought to maintain order to the realms (in other words, conquer) with the reason being 'separate leaderships can only lead to further chaos.' In this way, if any attack _does_ happen, then Asgard will already be prepared and ready. However, Odin also has a point in attacking first. As reviewer Lull Meister said, victor comes to those who act first and strike the swiftest. Hela is essentially trying to manipulate Odin but ultimately failed in the end; just like how Loki would try to advise Thor but end up ignored.**

 **\- Odin's parenting skills are worse than usual because he's still young and he doesn't have an experience with children yet. He thinks that caring for children is beneath him because he can just leave them to Frigga. He's arrogant and feels superior and mighty because no one has threatened his rule before, but soon he'll realize that war's not as fun as it sounds. He is not yet the battle-weary and wise king we see in the Thor movies. He is essentially like Thor in the first movie.**

 **\- And about Hela determining that Asgardians only live for 5000 years and not more than that: Hela isn't exactly given enough time to process the movie she just watched before she died, and when she was immediately reincarnated, she became too busy to think more of it that she just interpreted it as them living for 5000 years (which frankly, is already a scary thought because who can live that long without losing their minds?) She hasn't realized yet that 5000 is just the average lifespan and not the ultimatum. Either way, living for 5000 years or 1 million is a terrifying thought.**

 **And that's it! Whew, those are long!**

 **Thank you so much to reviewers Daughter of Trickery, Zaralann, Mary D. Black2000, Re Fenrir, Rose1414, InfinityMask, TesaVonAtti, serus black antihumannature, tylermech66, AvalonRivers, Crazysister101, Phenomenal Excelsior, Lull Meister, robertastarcris11, Kumo64, Guest, Val'Hor, Hangzoed, sharingankakashi007, and Crazykiller2606! You all really made my day!**

* * *

 **P.S. Thank you especially to all my reviewers who are from other countries and are not native English speakers like robertastarcris11, TesaVonAtti, and Guest! It's so wonderful to hear your thoughts and opinions!**

 **robertastarcris11: Yes, Hela's character development is very important to the plot because it will show that she has flaws and she can make mistakes, but over time she'll come out of it wiser and stronger than ever. She'll learn, and that's what makes her possibly more powerful than canon!Hela. Thank you so much for the review!**

 **TesaVonAtti: I am absolutely surprised too when the Avengers 4 trailer dropped right after I updated this story. It's a nice coincidence! Thank you so much for the review!**

 **Guest: I'll try to be quick, but I can't promise it. Real life and writer's block always interferes . Thank you so much for the review!**

 **P.P.S. Again, I am very happy to see people whose native language is not English to review! Please keep telling me your thoughts, I don't mind at all! I can just use a translator. ^^**

 **P.P.P.S. A little info about me, I'm not a native English speaker too, so I will probably make some mistakes along the way. Do tell me if you spot some!**

 **And without further ado, here's chapter 6!**

* * *

 **Chapter Six:**

 **The Hunt Begins**

* * *

Conversations ceased when the horn blew, signaling the start of the ceremony, and Hela smiled as confidently as she could at her two friends, "Good luck."

"Best of luck, princess." ... "Happy hunting, Hela!"

Tyrkir's glare at Ornulf was the last thing she saw before a wave of seidr transported them all into different sections of the forest, and Hela suddenly found herself standing in a wide clearing with none of her fellow competitors in sight.

She giggled to herself, knowing that Ornulf was just trying to calm Tyrkir. She hadn't known them long, but she felt as if they were the best friends she never had from back then.

She had always been somewhat of a loner, and usually only focused on her studies and her job. Any friends she had had slowly forgotten about her, occupied as they were with their own lives. But with Tyrkir and Ornulf, it's like they clicked instantly upon meeting each other, and now she can't imagine living in Asgard without people who can ground her like they do. They make her stay sane whenever her mind was full of her studies and duties, and she loves them for it.

She could only hope they do well today.

…

Odin stared silently at the last spot he saw his daughter, and felt the slightest hint of guilt. He had seen her expression when she realized that she only had a training sword and no real weapons, and that's when he remembered that he had forbidden the use of seidr during the ceremony out of spite. It was all he could do not to flinch back as a hand gripped his own tightly, perfect nails digging into flesh.

"Is there something you are not telling me, _my King_?" Frigga's perfectly composed tone was ruined by the harsh grip on his hand, "Perhaps, a reason why Hela is absent of any weapon?"

This time, Odin winced minutely. Not easily noticeable by anyone, but obvious to the one currently holding his hand in a death grip. "I _had_ planned on giving Hela a weapon when we went down to the Weapon's Vault that day," He gritted his teeth as the nails dug deeper. "But it appears to have slipped my mind."

 _"Slipped your mind?"_ Frigga rounded on him, and Odin could see a few people nearby glancing at them in confusion, and a certain former mentor who was glaring at him openly, and who obviously knew what happened. "How in the Nine did you forget to give Hela a weapon? Especially the one you've been commissioning the Dwarves to make for the past several years?!"

" _Frigga_." The warning tone was enough for his wife to fall silent, but not before sending him a glare so harsh he could feel it all the way to his bones. Combined with Vor's glare, and Odin could feel the coldness of Nornheim rip through his very core.

He shivered.

Frigga looked satisfied.

Vor looked anything but.

"How will she fight without a trusted weapon?" Frigga whispered worriedly, "The war hammer was meant for her to wield today. You are _meant_ to present it to her today, in fact, and it somehow _slipped your mind_." The words were like venom coming from her lips, and Odin repressed the urge to shiver again. "And now she is left with nothing but a training sword who might as well be a stick and a few conjured weapons." Frigga turned to him yet again, her eyes blazing with fury, "Tell me why I shouldn't be mad."

Odin thought fast, "I have faith in our daughter's abilities, Frigga. She is far more resourceful and cunning than you think."

Frigga was too dignified to snort, but she looked like she very much wanted to. "Cunning and resourcefulness are nothing without a proper tool to channel them with, Odin."

He had nothing to say to that.

Instead, he turned to his two ravens, Huginn and Muninn and whispered a simple command. "Watch over her."

…

A few hours later, and Hela found herself still keeping a steady pace through the forest, her conjured weapons making clanking noises by her back and hips with each step. The humid air had made her hair stick to the back of her neck unpleasantly, and she can't count how many bugs she had already smacked in every part of her body. All that and still, she can't find a single beast.

Her hands had already started to sweat as her eyes scanned hard for any sign of life through the bushes and trees. She couldn't help but admit that she's very nervous. This was her first time wandering through unfamiliar territory without companions or even trusted weapons. She was very much on her own, and it worries her.

She tried to calm herself down, remembering Frigga's words and her mother's faith in her. She can't let her down, and panicking definitely won't help her win this.

If she was worried, then her friends must be too. Last she could recall, Tyrkir and Ornulf had been visibly nervous; the former pale as sheet and the latter wearing a smile so fixed she's surprised it didn't become permanently carved into his face. She believes in them, though. Tyrkir may be weaker than the typical Asgardian, but he's very smart. He'll surely think of a way to get himself out of any predicament. Ornulf, on the other hand, was a ball of endless energy. He'll probably outlast any animal or monster out here. Besides that, Ornulf was also the best archer she's ever known, both in this life and her last. He could handle himself.

Hela, on the other hand, only had her wits and her supposed godly stamina to help her. She wasn't as smart as Tyrkir, or as strong, but perhaps her skill would be enough.

She tried not to dwell on the fact that if she failed, she'll be the laughingstock of Asgard for the next several centuries to come.

 _Why did Odin forbid the use of seidr again?_ Hela scowled petulantly. If she had her seidr, she could probably create an illusion of bait for the animals, or even fire for the long night ahead.

Hela cursed and kicked a rock in frustration. She watched irritated as the rock sailed through the air and landed in a hole in the tree trunk. She proceeded on kicking the dirt a few more times for good measure, letting herself act like the child she currently was and finally letting go of the formal speech. After all, the nosy eyes and ears were all back at the palace.

"How could you be so stupid, Hela?" She furiously scolded herself, "What did you expect, for some animal to come and present itself to you on a silver platter so you can easily carry it back to a round of applause and cheers? You've grown too spoiled!"

She cursed herself for not preparing for this. She hadn't even read about any creature she might encounter here. She only assumed that she'll just enter the forest, see a worthy catch, and fight it to the death. After all, large animals can be found quickly, right? Instead, it had been several hours, and she hadn't found hide nor tail of a beast.

She had grown overconfident, and now she was paying the price.

She had tried yelling; noise attracted animals, right? But the sound only served to drive even the birds away, and she immediately stopped. Next, she tried climbing the trees, but while she could see a lot from her vantage point, there was still no sign. She was about to try bringing out the food she brought for herself as bait when something suddenly smacked into her forehead and she staggered back, stunned. "W- _Wha_ –?"

She paused and stared as the same rock she kicked earlier rested innocently at her feet. Her gaze then proceeded to lock on huge beady black eyes peering at her from just inside the hole in the tree. Hela backed away slowly, her grip resting on the hilt of her sword. This was her first creature, and she prayed it was big enough to end this ceremony immediately. "… _Hello_?"

The beady eyes narrowed, and suddenly, it leaped from the hole and towards her at frightening speeds. She cried out in surprise and ducked, the creature sailing above her head before landing on its four paws with a snarl. Hela's eyes widened as she beheld the size of the thing. It's about as tall as her!

Which was shocking because it was so clearly a squirrel, and squirrels should be small. "You're not big or dangerous enough to hunt." She remarked sadly, and watched as the huge squirrel tittered angrily. "You can go back to your hole now."

However, it seemed the thing was furious about the rock, and brandished it threateningly. Only in Asgard can a squirrel be considered smart and terrifying. She quickly pulled her sword from its sheath and held it readily, just in case. "Please put that down, and you won't get hurt."

And only Hela could reason with a squirrel without feeling weird in the slightest. She suspects Heimdall might be laughing at her attempts though, since the guy had a terrible sense of humor.

The rock was thrown, and Hela calmly sidestepped and held her hands up. Well, as much as she could with a sword in one of them. "I'm not looking for you, so you can go back now. Unless you somehow know where a large and really dangerous beast is hiding? Because I would really appreciate that." She asked hopefully, internally wondering if she had just gone insane and asked a _squirrel_ for directions.

To her surprise, the squirrel paused and suddenly looked thoughtfully at her, if squirrels could even look like that. This one certainly did a good job. Hela watched in bewilderment as the squirrel (who was obviously smarter than she gave it credit for) stood on its hind legs and pointed in the general direction of the mountains. Hela stared at it, incredulous and highly certain she was dreaming. "Are you serious?"

The squirrel rolled its eyes before pointing again at the mountains, before proceeding to dive back in its hole with a _thump!_ Hela was left gaping at the tree. Did she just talk to a squirrel who somehow understood her and even gave directions? "Heimdall, tell me that just happened."

There was no response, but Hela could somehow hear the man chuckling at her situation and see him nodding in her head, which was definitely a confirmation. "Norns help me, I've gone crazy."

Since she doesn't have a better idea, Hela trudged towards the general direction of the mountains in the outskirts of the forest, certain that she's the only one willing to go that far and not remain in the general safety of the forests. After all, Odin never said they should only hunt in the forest.

Come to think of it, she wasn't exactly surprised that even Asgard's animals were smarter and even more evolved than the animals on Earth. And the squirrel certainly looked like it knew what it's doing while pointing at the mountains, so there's definitely something in there.

 _'Thank you, insanely smart squirrel creature.'_ Hela chuckled. It's nice to hear herself talk so casually again. She missed talking like this, without the heavy pleasantries and authoritative tone. The only one who could hear her right now was Heimdall and possibly Odin, and the former was so used to her quirks by now that this won't be anything out of the ordinary.

Hela eyed the mountain; silently steeling herself for the long climb.

 _Watch me closely, father._

 _…_

Several yards away from Hela's position, Tyrkir found himself frozen above the trees, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword. He tried breathing deeply, knowing that this was no time for hesitation or nervousness. The goal was to bring back the largest and most dangerous animal you could; bringing back anything less than that and he will be considered an embarrassment.

Some people he talked to said that it's very difficult trying to find game in Asgard's forests, as most of the creatures were used to the ceremony by now and have learned to hide. He figured that he'll have a hard time and brought enough bait to last a lifetime.

This was why he can't figure out if he's lucky or not when immediately after he landed, he found himself face-to-face with an enormous wild boar, the latter of whom looked surprised at his sudden appearance but ready to charge.

And this was why he was currently stuck above the trees, panting heavily from the run and climb up. He eyed the beast warily, watching as it circled the tree's base, snorting and stomping the whole time. Tyrkir suddenly found himself envious of Ornulf's arrows, knowing that hunting will be easier with it.

How foolish of him.

He couldn't get down, the boar looked like it was satisfied eating tree barks and will be down there for a long time. He _had_ read that creatures in Asgard were smarter and larger as opposed to Vanaheim's gentle grazing herds or Midgard's giant lizards. The boar likely saw the lack of arrows in his back and decided to make _him_ its meal instead of the opposite.

Tyrkir contemplated his predicament; throwing anything at it will no doubt only make it angrier; and getting down and making a run for it was altogether stupid and irresponsible. Worst of all, there were no nearby trees to jump to so he's well and utterly _stuck_.

"Just my luck…" He muttered. If the boar left sometime in the afternoon then he'll have the chance to get down and hunt for other game until time was up, but if somehow he spent the night here and by morning, the boar still hadn't left then he will be made an embarrassment to his entire family. He can already imagine the disappointed looks his father will give him, and this knowledge filled him with determination. He couldn't let his father down!

Tyrkir eyed the ground, calculating how high he was and if he'll make the jump, as well as memorized the boar's patterns of circling the tree. His body tensed as the boar made its fourth pass and readied himself for the leap of faith, when he suddenly heard something _whistling_ , and before he knew it, the boar grunted and _squealed_ in pain.

Dumbfounded, Tyrkir stared at the arrow suddenly protruding from the base of the thrashing boar's ear before gazing up amongst the trees, where a smirking Ornulf held his bow loosely in his hands, grinning from ear-to-ear.

He gaped.

Ornulf started to laugh at his expression, before jumping down and landing lightly on his feet, bow and arrow at the ready just in case. The boar continued to thrash, but Ornulf stood confidently, aimed, and fired.

Tyrkir could only stare and marvel at Ornulf's accuracy. He's always been the best in their archery lessons. Ornulf may seem like an over-energized kid most of the time, but give him a bow, arrow, and a target and he'll shoot faster than you could blink. Even now, every one of his shots hit the exact spot of his previous arrows, further showing his expertise and precision.

With that in mind, Ornulf managed about four more shots – blood spurting and spilling everywhere with each hit – before the boar finally fell with a sickening _thud!_ and moved no more.

There was a beat of silence, before Tyrkir finally noticed his gaping jaw and closed it with a _snap_.

"Greetings fellow hunter!" Ornulf snickered, before smirking up at him. "Planning on spending the night up there, Tyrkir? Shall I get you more pillows and blankets?"

He reddened and quickly leapt down, "Shut up."

Ornulf laughed, before poking the boar with the tip of his spare sword. After ensuring its demise, he carefully looked over Tykir's body, a hint of concern in his blue eyes. "Are you alright?"

Tyrkir nodded silently, internally disappointed and angry at himself for failing to kill the boar. Compared to other animals out here, the boar was probably one of the tamest, and still he _failed_. "I am fine."

"No, you're not." Ornulf frowned worriedly, "Is it because I killed your game?"

"No," _Yes._ Immediately, Tyrkir felt bad for thinking that. They both knew he was stuck earlier. He should be grateful for Ornulf's help. "Thank you." He said.

To his dismay, Ornulf didn't let it go and only looked at him knowingly, "I am right, aren't I?"

He slumped in defeat, "Yes."

"I'm sorry," Ornulf said sincerely, "But I saw you have no way out, and worst of all, you were planning on jumping– don't give me that look, I saw you–! so I took the initiative."

 _He's right._

"I'm grateful," He told him, "It's just, one of the King's rules stated that we are forbidden from helping each other."

Ornulf shrugged, "You're the one with the Minister of Law as a father. I'm sure you can think of something."

 _He's right again._ Tyrkir thought hard, before smirking. "It was never my game. I never did anything to claim it as my own. You saw the boar and killed it, and so it's yours. You didn't help me because it's all yours for the taking."

Ornulf had smiled while he spoke, and by the end of it, he was grinning so wide Tyrkir was afraid he would split his face in two. He thumped his back so hard he almost fell over, "Atta boy, Tyrkir! See this young lad? An utter genius, I'd say!" He addressed the downed boar as if it could hear him, and Tyrkir almost burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. There wasn't a written set of rules, and the King never _did_ say any specifics, so there's a staggering amount of loopholes to exploit.

He just hoped the princess discovers it soon. She'll need it, especially since she lacked any real weapon.

Ornulf again eyed him knowingly, "She'll be alright. Hela's tough, and she's 'hela' smart. I'm sure she'll be alright." He quickly dodged his swipe and held his hands up, cackling like a maniac. "Fine, fine, I'll stop!"

"That's terrible." Tyrkir groaned.

"I live to serve, future Minister." Ornulf swept into a bow before grinning, "Now, since my game is taken care of, it's time to find yours." He thumped his back one more time, before winking. "No need to worry, we just met by chance when we suddenly encountered a creature I _definitely_ did not help to find."

This time, Tyrkir joined him and laughed hard.

 _Bending the rules had never been this fun._

 **…**

This was _not_ fun.

Hela felt absolutely miserable. Her feet were tired from all the walking, and she was drenched in sweat. For the hundredth time, she wondered why she's going through all sorts of lengths just to prove her father wrong. Was she really _that_ petty?

"This better be worth it." Hela gritted her teeth before hauling herself up the cliffs, eyes scanning the mountains for any caves a large creature may hide itself. Unfortunately, the squirrel can't speak, so she's stuck to finding the beast herself, which had taken the better part of the day.

Deciding to rest for a bit, Hela plopped to the ground and reached for her canteen of water. She also stretched for a bit, readying herself for further climbing. That's when she saw a certain squirrel standing just among the rocks; the huge creature tilting its head and looking like it's _laughing_ at her.

"What are you looking at?" She huffed, no longer surprised. This was Asgard; a magical realm full of gods, goddesses, huge creatures, and rainbow bridges located on a flat rock suspended in space. Strange things were bound to happen. Even so, this was bordering on _bizarre_. "How did you even get up here?"

The squirrel didn't respond – of course it didn't – but it did proceed to look in a seemingly random direction. Hela reluctantly followed its gaze, weary of more climbing, before quickly doing a double take.

There was something amongst the cliffs, almost hidden by the rocks. But now that she's staring at it, she could _just see_ the well-hidden opening of a cave.

Now the squirrel looked so smug, and Hela wanted nothing more than to roll her eyes. Though seeing as it helped her, she refrained. "Why are you helping me?" She asked, suspicious. Hey, if she was going in a strange cave that was possibly the home of a deadly creature and face her death, then she deserved to know _why_.

She never expected it to _actually_ respond.

' _Because dear old Fenris deserves a friend.'_ It _cackled._

As if on cue, a deafening howl suddenly pierced through the quiet air. The horrifying sound sent a chill all the way down Hela's bones and succeeded in sending a flock of panicked birds to take off in a frenzy from the whole forest. The air had gone eerily still as the very ground trembled, sending her stumbling back in shock, her wide eyes staring straight at the cave's entrance...

The cave where _the sound had come from._

With a last cackle echoing in her head, the mischievous squirrel proceeded on climbing up the mountaintop and promptly disappearing, leaving Hela frozen and completely _shaken to the core._

 _..._

 **EDITED: 1/19/2020**


	7. The Fen-Dweller

**Everyone, I deeply apologize for the 6 month delay. I have no excuses except horrible writer's block. I'm not abandoning this, but I _am_ finding it difficult to write these days. Even now, I'm dissatisfied with this chapter. But I read all your amazing reviews, and knew I should at least try. Thank you so much to all those who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story while I was on temporary hiatus. Your warm reviews and reactions have truly been amazing! **

* * *

**Review replies:**

 **\- Yes, it's no ordinary squirrel. ^^**

 **\- Odin's A+ parenting, everybody! Lol, no one could probably be worse than him.**

 **\- Yep, by this point, Asgardians could only see the dinosaurs when they look at Midgard. That will change soon...**

 **\- Who says Asgardians didn't invent some slang? xD Ornulf will probably introduce slang to Asgard, starting with "hella" in honor of his ridiculous friend.**

 **\- I am very glad some reviewers relate so much to my self-insert. I tried to incorporate my own personality and experiences to Hela's character and only amplified her bravery (since I'm not half as brave as she is to face Fenris, of all things). Everything you read about her past life is my life right now, so I am glad some people can relate themselves to the character, since that means we're all experiencing the same thing and slowly getting better about it.**

 **\- I agree with the headcanon that Original!Hela is a perfect princess type who always sought to impress her father and would go to great lengths to fulfill that desire. GoD!Hela's not like that since she knew what kind of person Odin really is. I like seeing you guys draw comparisons between those two.**

 **\- I am mostly focusing on the MCU. I haven't read the comics or other Marvel material yet so this story will have elements from the MCU and Norse Mythology only. I'm really sorry I can't fulfill the requests of comic fans. If I have the time to read the comics and understand the universes a bit more, perhaps I'll reconsider.**

 **\- The diary idea is interesting, I'll consider it.**

 **\- I'm really happy you guys think GoD!Hela's realistic enough. I'm trying so hard not to make her a Mary Sue, so I'm glad it's working! Hela's here to change Asgard for the better, and the journey may be harsh and unforgiving, but it'll be worth it eventually.**

 **\- The tenses part has always been a problem of mine. I always struggle with it. English is not my mother language, so I know I'll make some mistakes along the way. I'll try my best to rectify it, but if you spot some please tell me and I apologize in advance!**

 **And that's it! Thank you so much for the awesome and well-thought-out reviews. Please keep them coming!**

 **And remember, any reviews in a different language is more than welcome! (I can always use a translator) It's so nice to see people from other countries reading my story, especially since English is not my mother language and I understand wanting to write in your own language. Thank you again!**

* * *

 **WARNING: For Hela's foul mouth and some mention of injuries.**

 **P.S. To clear up some confusion, I am writing Fenris Wolf, Hela's loyal companion from the MCU, and not Fenrir, son of Loki and Angrboda. There are some similarities between the two, though.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven:**

 **The Fen-Dweller**

* * *

 **Last Chapter**

 _"Why are you helping me?" She asked the squirrel, suspicious. Hey, if she was going in a strange cave that was possibly the home of a deadly creature and face her death, then she deserved to know why._

 _She never expected it to actually respond._

 _'Because dear old Fenris deserves a friend.' It cackled._

 _As if on cue, a deafening howl suddenly pierced through the quiet air. The horrifying sound sent a chill all the way down Hela's bones and succeeded in sending a flock of panicked birds to take off in a frenzy from the whole forest. The air had gone eerily still as the very ground trembled, sending her stumbling back in shock, her wide eyes staring straight at the cave's entrance..._

 _The cave where the sound had come from._

 _With a last cackle echoing in her head, the mischievous squirrel proceeded on climbing up the mountaintop and promptly disappearing, leaving Hela frozen and completely shaken to the core._

* * *

Hela stared in absolute horror, her mind whirling as she scrambled to process the fact that just a few meters away stood Fenris, the Giant Wolf, who was known to be one of the most vicious and dangerous creatures in both the Norse myths and the Marvel Universe. Also, original Hela's pet, and wasn't _that_ the most hysterical thing?

She felt a headache coming in. What, was she expected to make it her pet too?

"What the ever-loving _fuck_?"

Hela felt her hands cover her mouth automatically, and she dreaded to think what Vor might do if she finds out about her accidental slip, and _then_ giggled hysterically when she realized that she was apparently more scared of _Vor_ than the freaking Giant Wolf _._

 _Thanks a lot for all those centuries of traumatizing, Vor._

Anyway, after the first initial roar, the cave went silent again. The forest also slowly regained its sounds, the birds picking up the courage to start singing again. With such normalcy, Hela suddenly felt like she just hallucinated the whole thing.

 _I mean, talking squirrels and giant monsters? She must've ate something Tyrkir made again. God knows that boy was a terrible cook._

Except the second roar made her jump again and completely convinced her that this was very real, all right. Hela released a shuddered breath before sending a quick prayer to whoever god was listening right now for strength and a healthy dose of courage. Being led here must mean that she absolutely _had_ to face the beast. She could only hope that it doesn't decide to make the future queen of Asgard its personal chew toy or something worse.

Curse that squirrel to the ends of Yggdrasil and back. Moreover, curse her lack of self-preservation and curiosity. It's going to get her killed someday, she just _knew_ it.

And with that rather dark and gloomy premonition, Hela finally found the courage to take a few steps towards the cave. She won't be going there with a war cry and all guns blazing though, she'll take a page out of Loki's book and analyze everything first before striking. Judging by the fact that Fenris didn't roar before she even got here, she could only assume that the Wolf already knows she's near. As for why the squirrel said he needed a friend, damned if she knows. She's terrified enough as it was, and without an audience around, she's free to freak out and not get called out by anyone for a 'behavior unbecoming of a princess.'

 _Except…_ Hela stared at the tree line. _Weren't those Odin's ravens Huginn and Muninn flying above the trees?_

She watched as the ravens perched near the tree line, their beady eyes watching her every move. She tried clamping down on her sudden nervousness, and breathed deeply to regain control of herself. She absolutely _refuses_ to show weakness, especially to a certain negligent king. Though as for why he thought she needed to be observed…

 _Thanks for the vote of confidence, father._ She nearly rolled her eyes, but that move was aborted by Fenris' third roar, and she could actually _see_ the sound waves travel through the forest; shaking every leaf and jostling the birds into a panic yet again. Only Huginn and Muninn remained unperturbed, their eyes remaining on her.

"Stupid birds…" Hela grumbled while carefully adjusting her weapons around her body to minimize the noise. She needed to be absolutely silent if she wanted to scout this thing.

Ironically enough, she's actually going to spy on a Giant Wolf while being spied on by birds who were spying for her father. Not exactly a nice situation for someone who's about to be mauled by a beast while being watched by probably _everyone_ in Asgard.

Huh. Apparently, she becomes _very_ sarcastic when nervous. You _do_ learn something new every day.

Trying her best to ignore the two pairs of beady eyes, Hela drew her sword and crouched down, placing all her weight on the balls of her feet. She relaxed and breathed through her nose, before creeping silently towards the edge of the cave's mouth, knowing that any sudden moves may lead to Fenris attacking or worse.

Her hand reached the edge, and she exhaled in relief as she hid beside it. No sounds thus far. Hela felt her lips purse determinedly, her hand clutching the hilt of her sword so tightly the leather creaked. She inhaled one more time, before quickly sneaking a peek around the edge.

At first, she couldn't see anything. The cave was tall and massive judging by the outline, but what light coming from the outside doesn't reach the inside, making it look pitch black and damp. Strangely enough, she couldn't see anything further than the front of her face. It was _that_ dark. Confused, Hela extended her neck to see better; perhaps Fenris was hiding further in…?

And barely stifled a scream when something in front of her face shifted. Instead, Hela quickly reared her head back in shock but ended up jostling her weapons with her abrupt movement. She froze, but the damage had already been done.

She could now see the black mass that was essentially a _few centimeters away_ from her face shifting and writhing as the noise from the jostled weapons echoed throughout the cave, and a growl rumbled through the air. Hela staggered back as the light finally hit it, and she could finally see terribly matted black fur glistening with so much drool and foam it pooled on the cavern floor. Her neck strained as her eyes traveled slowly upwards, realizing that the shifting black mass extended as high as 12 feet tall, and seemed to be getting larger as it stood.

… _What the_ hell _had she gotten herself into?_

The black mass suddenly tensed and the part she recognized as the head abruptly swiveled towards her; the blood draining from her face as finally, wide green eyes met wild yet equally identical green ones.

Fenris roared at the same time as Huginn and Muninn cawed shrilly, leaving a frozen Hela in the middle of utter pandemonium. Quick as lightning, Fenris snapped her jaws at her, but Hela didn't train her whole second life without learning a few tricks. She jumped back just seconds before teeth closed in on her previous position and quickly tucked her body into a roll, cushioning her landing and allowing her a few moments to get her head together.

Hackles raised, Fenris snarled and snapped at her, its head craning this way and that to catch Hela's rapid movements. As for her, she's dodging for her life. She refuses to use the sword, knowing that the original Hela tamed this beast before. Hurting it will not exactly make it friendly to her. If original Hela who was a ruthless and cruel warmonger could tame it, then perhaps a kinder version could do it too.

Though with how wild Fenris was, Hela was beginning to suspect original Hela did not tame it, but rather subdued it to obey her. And wasn't that a frightening thought? Even the monstrous Giant Wolf from the myths was afraid of a girl. Just how strong _was_ the original Hela?

Hela yelped as she barely managed to avoid the gigantic teeth. Fenris writhed and roared, its huge head slowly leaving the cave's mouth, and Hela wondered why it's taking so long. With how furious it was, Hela imagined that it could run straight outside and maul her to death in seconds, but it's like the Wolf was struggling to get its body out of the cave. In fact, it was almost like…

"Are you stuck?" Hela blurted, her terror replaced by curiosity. With a snap, Hela's sword – which was raised as defense in front of her – was seized and bitten in half. However, her sword was made of seidr, and as it snapped in half, her magic winked the pieces out of existence, confusing the Wolf. With that moment's respite, she caught her breath, her mind still reeling from the sheer speed of the attack, before dodging again as the Wolf recovered from its surprise and lunged.

"Damn me and my pettiness." She cursed. Why did she have to hunt down the most vicious and dangerous animal again? Oh right, to shove the injustice of it all at Odin's face. _Brilliant idea, Hela!_

Speaking of Odin, Huginn and Muninn were still watching the spectacle, no doubt relaying everything they see to her father.

Hela itched to use her seidr; just one flick of her hand and she could send a pillar of roaring flames to scare it away, trap it with a cage, or with a thought, she could conjure more weapons to battle it with. But with the ravens serving as effective spies, she couldn't _do_ anything. As it was, the only weapons she had were two swords, a set of daggers, and a bow and arrow. Fat lot of good it'll do against a 12 foot tall beast intent on biting her head clean off her shoulders.

 _What the hell was she supposed to do now?_

 **…**

Unbeknownst to Hela, Odin was not the only one observing her.

Heimdall leaned on his sword _Hofund_ , his golden eyes intent on watching the mountains. Or more precisely, the cliffs where the princess was currently engaged in battle against the Hróðvitnir, the fen-dweller, and the monster of the river Van. The vicious giant wolf Fenris.

Heimdall watched as the princess tried desperately to fend off and dodge the wolf's attacks. He watched as her sword got snapped in half, and could only continue to watch how her expression changed from determined to horrified.

It was treasonous to think such negative thoughts; however, Heimdall couldn't help but worry. The princess does not have any weapons, nor her seidr, because of the King's order. In spite of those obstacles, she still chose to search for the most dangerous beast in the forest. Granted, she was guided by Ygddrasil's Messenger, Ratatoskr the Deceiver, and yet she still went through with it.

She was by no means weak (in fact, she's the strongest of her fellow trainees) however, she was very much at a disadvantage. Frankly, Heimdall was concerned for the outcome.

He took care not to let it show though. It was not his place.

Unfortunately, with his all-seeing eyes intent on the scene in the mountains and nothing more, he completely missed seeing a figure sneaking through the abandoned palace. Likewise, no one else saw; too preoccupied as they were by the competition happening at present…

 **…**

 _It_ was _stuck!_

Hela stared in disbelief at the huge golden chains that bound the legs of the Giant Wolf. It wrapped around all four legs, with chains in between each manacle, and two chains tied into something further in so it couldn't even get out the cave itself. Inwardly berating herself for not noticing it sooner, it also made her wonder why they didn't muzzle it, if the ones who did this already got this far.

Fenris was half-out now, its huge body trying desperately to squeeze out of the cave's mouth, the roars now becoming whines as the chains dug harshly in its furs and through skin and bone. Dried crusted blood on the manacles indicated how hard the Wolf tried to get free in the past, and its now desperate thrashing was visibly causing the old wounds to reopen and bleed heavily, much to Hela's horror.

" _Stop!_ " Hela raised her hands, trying desperately to calm it down. "Don't do that, you'll get hurt!"

Unsurprisingly, she was ignored.

"Please," Hela called urgently. "I know you're smart, Fenris. Doing that won't change anything; you'll only make it worse!"

A pair of feral green eyes the size of dinner plates suddenly locked on her face, and Hela only had a moment to sigh in relief for finally having caught its attention, before the Wolf _roared at_ her before continuing its struggle.

Hela frowned and thought quickly; the original Hela tamed Fenris, so that meant she found the beast in this state and obviously freed it. Question was, would Fenris acknowledge her as a friend if she also did it? Or would it just attack her again? A _bigger_ question was, should she just leave it?

 _Why not?_ Hela grumbled internally. She didn't exactly sign up for this. She's not suicidal.

 _Except_ … she always had a soft spot for animals, especially abused ones. Whoever left Fenris here left him to die, and the sorry state of the Wolf – who she noticed was unnaturally thin and emaciated despite its height, the evidence of dried blood on the restraints, its frothing mouth and heavy breaths suggesting its distressed and panicking state, and a whole lot more – was simply cruel. Worse, Fenris was probably intelligent, which just made its situation more inhumane.

However, it doesn't change the fact that it could rip her out into several pieces if it so wished. Or run away. Either way was bad, but she also knew she could handle it, so was there really a problem?

Hela sighed and rubbed her temple, just _knowing_ she'll regret this. "Alright, I want to help, but if you don't stop struggling and let me free you, that's your choice." She waved a dismissive hand, trying to project a casual air.

Surprisingly, the Wolf froze; its frantic eyes swiveling around to look at her again. The only sound remaining on the clearing were its heavy pants. Hela dared not even _twitch_. "So you _can_ understand me." She marveled aloud.

The Wolf's eyes only remained on hers, as if… _waiting_?

"Ah– umm… right." Hela cleared her throat nervously; sweat beading down her forehead. She got its attention all right, now how to keep it… "I will free you, but only on one condition."

Fenris' eyes narrowed.

Hela's eyes narrowed back, "Now, don't look at me like that. I need a guarantee that you won't attack me immediately after releasing you. That's just ungrateful and hardly civilized."

To her disbelief, the Wolf snorted, before locking its gaze into hers again; this time, it seemed more piercing and _dangerous_.

Her whole body tensed.

 _Why did she do this again stupid reckless she_ is _suicidal what's gotten into her, for Frigga's sake, she's gonna die_ again _–!_

Fenris' eyes smoothly slid close.

Hela's breath caught, completely confused and out of her depth but instinct told her the Wolf was _agreeing_ …?

"Right…" Hela squared her shoulders and starts creeping forward, hyper aware of the fact that Fenris could move fast and if it actually does, she'll get out of there and find another beast without hesitation.

Though it seemed the beast was aware of that fact, because Hela was only a couple of steps away from the nearest leg and it still hadn't moved.

"Right, just hold steady." Hela told it softly, before hesitantly reaching for the chains, her hands trembling. Time seemed to stop as Fenris' breathing stilled when she touched the manacles, all sound disappeared, and the only thing that mattered was the immense power and seidr weaving through the manacles, the very air almost feeling _saturated_ with magic. _Familiar_ magic.

Hela closed her eyes involuntarily as she took in a deep breath; _this feeling… this sheer power…_ it could only come from the All-Father himself. Only _he_ could have such power as to keep this mighty beast contained. However, knowing that it was the All-Father who trapped Fenris here (despite the fact that this likely guaranteed Asgard's safety in the long run) just made Hela feel like she needed to make it up to the beast for her father's sins.

Eyes still closed, Hela frowned thoughtfully and spread her hands out to inspect the manacles more thoroughly. Sensing seidr technically doesn't count as using seidr, so this _should_ be fine. And what she sensed almost made the risk worth it.

In her mind, the huge manacles glowed with sheer power and purely complicated spells that kept the Wolf bound and imprisoned. This was expected, just as she expected to sense her father's magical signature all over it. In fact, it's almost _blinding_ how potent it was. However, that's not what caught her attention. Because while the manacles and chains were guarded with everything in the All-Father's power, the thing they were tied to was _not_.

Hela recoiled as Fenris shifted impatiently, drool and slobber splattering all over the grounds. The beast was growing irritated, and she still hadn't found a way out of this.

"Just hold steady," She murmured before trying to peek around its massive body and into the cave. To her relief, there was a way inside so she could inspect the chains better, but it required having to press her body between the walls and the beast's massive build.

This day just kept getting better and better.

"Alright, I found a way, but this is going to be _very_ uncomfortable for us." She warned, and the beast stilled abruptly, "I need to get inside so I can see the chains better. If you want to be free, I _strongly_ suggest not crushing me. Do we have a deal?"

She doesn't even know if it could understand her, but there's nothing to it; the beast was trapped, she needed it free so she could hopefully prove herself to Asgard, and that required going into the gods damned cave. At least if she died, she had it on good authority that there will be another life awaiting.

"Here I go…" She took a deep breath, before slowly slipping in between the narrow path.

It was a tight fit; Hela found herself breathing in deep to minimize space as she crept sideways, taking good care to plaster herself onto the walls and not into the rigid body in front of her. The Wolf looked unnaturally calm and steady, but who knows what's really going on in its mind. It could be imagining crushing her for all she knew.

"Steady," She muttered, both to herself and to the beast. The chains almost glowed in the dark, helping her find her way into the dark interior of the cave. The walls were slick and coated with saliva, and Hela wrinkled her nose at the thought that it's probably all over her at this point. Fortunately, the trail finally stopped, and Hela smiled as she saw the golden chains tied around a giant boulder, and nothing else.

A quick check and she found no sign of her father's seidr on the rock. It was just a normal boulder, and that suited her needs just fine. Fenris probably only pulled at the chains holding his legs together, but not so much at the chains wrapped around the boulder. That would explain the slightly scraped and scratched surface, but nothing more.

"Fenris," She called, and the beast stiffened up even more. Any more and it'll probably look like a statue. "I have an idea, but I need you to be patient. Please don't move until I'm done."

The beast snarled, and the cave shook with its rage. Hela found herself sucking in a sharp breath as fear took hold of her. One shift and she'll be crushed. This wasn't exactly how she imagined going out in this life. Just her luck that she'll die another embarrassing and pathetic death. _Crushed by a giant dog_ , she inwardly snorted.

Thankfully, Fenris calmed down soon, and Hela was free to maneuver herself to stand beside the boulder. She analyzed the rock, seeing the frayed edges that suggested that Fenris _did_ try to pull herself out of here before but with obviously no luck. Though perhaps she could make it easier on her…?

Bringing out a dagger, she brought it on the frayed and scratched edges and started whittling at the most fragile parts. Perhaps if she loosened the chains' grip on the rock a bit, Fenris could slip free.

 _Though with the rate she's going_ , _it'll probably take her all day. Thank the Norns the ceremony ends tomorrow._

And with that, Hela continued whittling away.

 **…**

She was right.

Night fell, and she was still carving around the rock. Any normal dagger would've broken under extreme use, but her magic made it a touch stronger than normal, so it remained an effective whittling tool. Though she _did_ go through at least four of them, and was now going through the last one in her set.

Fenris had long since laid down a few hours after she started; its huge body looking almost relaxed the longer she spent without harming it. It seems it trusted her, for now.

On the other hand, the rock was looking good. There was now space between the chains and the surface, and a few prods revealed that the chain became much looser now. But was it enough?

"Better find out." She nodded to herself determinedly, standing abruptly and inadvertently jolting Fenris out of her relaxed state, "Ready to get out of here, Fenris?" She grinned cheekily as the Wolf's head turned as best as it could to glare at her. "Oh don't give me that look, I tried my best! Granted, using seidr would've definitely made this easier if it weren't for those stupid rules…"

A growl suddenly reverberated in the cramped cave and made her roll her eyes, "All right, all right, I'm going. Jeez." She grumbled before steeling herself and grabbing the chains. Eyes narrowing, she planted a foot on the rock and yanked upwards _hard_.

An almighty clanging sound made her teeth rattle before the chain went slack. Stunned, Hela only had a second to grin widely in triumph before the Wolf howled and _dashed_.

"Fu– _AH_!" She yelped before the chain – which she still held in her hands – _jerked_ and she suddenly found herself being dragged along down the mountains and into the forest with frightening speeds. She _might've_ screamed a little (and probably blacked out most of the way) but a moment's clarity made her grit her teeth and shout at the beast incoherently. Though all that earned her were a few bumps and crashes amongst the trees and rocks that the Wolf _happened_ to not dodge. _Thanks a lot._

"Are you serious?! _This_ is the thanks I get?" She yelled in frustration. Her hands and arms strained to keep their grip on the magic chains; her palms were probably scraped raw right now and she's just too numb to feel it.

The surroundings were just a blur as Fenris continued to ignore her. Hela could spot several fires and light in the distance; no doubt her fellow trainees already killed their own game and were just settling in for the night. Whereas here she was, being dragged along by her own game. Her father was probably getting a kick out of this.

Fenris suddenly veered sharply to the right, Hela screaming as her body got tossed straight into a tree. She felt the trunk give way to her body before her arms jerked and she was pulled along again. She dazedly blinked the black spots out of her vision and prayed fervently that she hadn't just destroyed the talking squirrel's home.

She tried to dig her feet on the ground, hoping that her Asgardian strength could _at least_ slow it down, but that only resulted in a deep gouge on the dirt and an irritated growl from the beast itself.

 _Voices up ahead_! Hela perked up and immediately shouted for all she was worth as Fenris burst into a clearing, hoping to catch their attention and warn them. The moon shone brightly enough that it took her eyes a few seconds to adjust. When they did, the pale light immediately illuminated two figures fighting with what looks like a huge elk. Her yell effectively caught their attention and they swiveled around to stare at her in shock, and Hela was surprised to see Ornulf and Tyrkir's flabbergasted expressions as they watched her get dragged around like a rag doll.

" _Princess?!"_ Tyrkir blurted.

Before she could respond though, Fenris spotted the elk and jolted to a stop (causing Hela to abruptly crash into its back). It _roared_ , spooking the elk and causing it to rear back in fright. The poor thing began to run away, and Hela could only watch as Ornulf shouted something incoherent at Tyrkir, who immediately turned his back to the giant wolf and took a stance, aimed, and fired an arrow at the elk. The shot aimed true and struck the creature in its broadside, probably piercing its lungs and killing it instantly.

Despite Fenris' presence, Ornulf whooped loudly enough that even the Wolf jolted in surprise. "Great shot!" He clapped Tyrkir on the back enthusiastically; heedless of the fact that Tyrkir had barely glanced at his perfect kill and instead continued staring at the Giant Wolf growling in front of them. "I knew you had it in you! Of course, if it weren't for me, you would not even know when or where to shoot in the first pla–!"

" _Ornulf_!" Tyrkir hissed urgently, and the blond finally took notice of the huge danger in their midst. He breathed, "Mother of Frigg."

"Fenris _, don't you dare_!" Hela hissed at the Wolf, who snapped its jaws at the two boys threateningly, "Those are my friends!"

Unsurprisingly, the Wolf didn't acknowledge her. Recognizing the threat, Ornulf immediately snatched the bow and arrows from Tyrkir, ran forward and took a stance in front of the other boy protectively, bow held with steady hands. Tyrkir immediately drew his sword behind him as well.

Hela growled lowly in her throat; if that beast thought it could just maul and eat her friends, then it had another thing coming.

Even though the Wolf was right in front of them, its sudden move still took them all by surprise. Like a true predator, Fenris _lunged_ with incredible speed at the two boys, who froze momentarily before scattering. Ornulf quickly lined up a shot and fired, the arrow clipping Fenris in the ear as the beast dodged. Tyrkir blocked the claws that swiped at him, but the strength of the blow still made him crash into the trees with a scream.

Hela could only freeze at the scene, watching in horror as her friends were thrown around and beaten like they were nothing, and willed her body to _move._ She had to protect them. She _had_ to!

It obeyed, and she immediately threw herself into the fray. She took a running leap, and Fenris could only yelp as her foot suddenly connected with the side of its head, abruptly jerking the huge beast's head to the side and stunning it momentarily.

" _Get back_!" She shouted and the boys scattered, Ornulf retreating further into the trees to line up another shot while Tyrkir hovered at the sidelines, trembling fingers clenched tightly around the hilt of his sword. "T-That's Fenris! The Giant Wolf!" He gasped out, and Hela glanced at him. "The stories say he was chained by the All-father. Why is it here?!"

"This is _not_ the time for your facts, Tyrkir!" Ornulf yelled at him in frustration.

Tyrkir gestured with his blade at the stunned beast helplessly, "But Ornulf, this means the All-Father's magic burned out or something. Fenris _can't_ just free itself!"

"I am afraid that is my fault." Hela admitted as the beast recovered and snarled at her. "But this is not the time. Everyone, get back! I will handle this."

Tyrkir gaped, "But _Hela_ –!"

Hela glowered at him, " _Just do it!"_

Shocked, he withdrew; watching worriedly as she drew her own sword – the one he faintly recalled was made by just her seidr – and began squaring off against the huge beast.

Despite its size, the Wolf moved fast and attempted to pin the princess down. Hela immediately darted to the side and leapt back as clawed paws swiped at her. She barely landed before another swipe nearly took her head off and she leapt back yet again. The fight (if it could even be called a fight. At this point, Hela was almost sure it's _playing_ with her) was deadly; it would only take one mistake on Hela's part and it would all be over. She couldn't spare a moment to check on her friends, intent on keeping the beast's attention on her and her _only_.

However, the longer this took, the more likely it would be for Hela to tire. Thinking fast, she spotted the chains whipping around with Fenris's every move and an idea struck.

She suddenly lunged, grabbing the golden restraints before making a run for it. The beast spun around frantically as it tried to keep her in its sights, and in doing so, completely failed to realize what happened until it was too late; the chains coiled around its feet and became taut, and in an almost comical fashion, the Wolf stumbled off-balance.

Spotting the blunder, Hela quickly took advantage. She released the chains and vaulted herself on top of its body, ran along its staggering length before landing right between its eyes. The Wolf barely had time to rear back before Hela pointed her sword right into its eye, effectively freezing it in place.

Hela gazed at it coldly, "Move, and I will kill you where you stand."

The forest seemed to hold its breath; Tyrkir and Ornulf gaped, the Wolf panted harshly, its body rigid and still, and Hela waited with eyes narrowed. She may have spent the whole day freeing Fenris, and she _may_ want to befriend it, but if it so much as _twitches_ towards their direction, she's going to gut it like a fish and damn the consequences.

' _Very well.'_

Hela blinked, and Fenris unexpectedly settled down, sitting back on its haunches. Behind her, she heard someone swear in surprise, before she turned her attention back to the Wolf's bright green eyes. She cleared her throat and whispered harshly, "I'm sorry, but did you just _talk_?"

The Wolf gazed back, indifferent.

Hela barely resisted the urge to groan. With talking squirrels running around, why not talking wolves as well? "Do you give your word not to attack me and my friends?" She asked it seriously, refusing to think about how ridiculous she probably looked.

It blinked slowly.

She soldiered on, "None of that silence! I need to know for certain, so talk."

"Uh, Princess?" Tyrkir called hesitantly after a moment of silence, staring at her as if she's gone insane. "Are you all right?"

Ornulf 'shushed' him and grinned in amusement, "Talking to animals must be a princess thing. Let them talk."

" _Well_?" Hela waved her sword threateningly, and the Wolf's eyes slid close.

' _I give my word.'_ A deep voice suddenly rumbled in her head, and she nearly lost her grip on the weapon. ' _You initiated a life debt, I shall honor it.'_

Hela stared in confusion, a sense of foreboding taking hold of her. "What do you mean ' _a life debt'_?"

However, Fenris seemed content to stay silent and remained with its eyes closed.

She glanced helplessly at the two below. Specifically at Tyrkir, who's probably the only one around here who actually knows what the hell the Wolf was talking about.

Unsurprisingly, Tyrkir answered dutifully once the full weight of the Princess's gaze settled on him, though it's obvious he's still completely terrified. "If the beast is invoking a life debt, then that means you saved its life, and it'll forever be in debt until it can repay by saving your life as well." He blinked several times in disbelief, "But Hela, you _saved_ its _life_?!"

"Well, what was I supposed to do?! It was chained and left to die for who knows how long. I couldn't just leave her!" Hela yelled back, too anxious to control her tone. Tyrkir flinched in surprise and slight hurt, and Ornulf swiftly intervened. "He just meant that you seem to have forgotten our reason for being here, Your Highness." Ornulf gazed at her seriously, and Hela felt herself shrink back at his frigid tone. "Saving the beasts you see instead of killing them is not exactly what the All-Father wants."

"I-I know that." She insisted, "But this is different! Fenris is no ordinary beast."

Ornulf raised a judging brow, "You mean it can actually talk and think? Did it tell you its name too? Princess, you have to admit this is unorthodox and very dangerous. Unless you plan on killing it, taking it back with us is suicide!"

"I– no!" Hela ducked her head, refusing to say that a giant squirrel actually told her its name. That would make her look even crazier. Besides, he had a point. It struck her that she had never seen Ornulf this serious before. His judging gaze seem to pierce through her, making her feel small and like her actual physical age.

"... Ornulf is right, Hela." Tyrkir said softly after a moment's silence. "Bringing it back is dangerous. Everyone would kill it on sight. The King, more so."

At the mention of the king, Fenris stiffened and snarled. Hela immediately tightened her grip on the sword and her friends tensed, their hands immediately settling on their weapons. Trained or not, Hela could see clear as day that they were terrified, and were only holding back from attacking or running from the beast because she's still there. It suddenly struck her that they were only children. Training to be warriors, they may be, but anyone sane enough would be terrified of a 12 foot tall beast who had a mouth large enough to swallow the three of them whole and still have more than enough room to spare.

 _What was she thinking? If she was even thinking at all._

"I'm sorry..." She swallowed and shot them both a look laden with guilt and remorse. "I didn't think this through at all. I just assumed I will be able to handle it." _I just wanted to spite Odin, and wasn't that a pretty weak reason?_

Her friends could only stare as Hela proceeded to beat herself up mentally. What if she accidentally let go of the chains earlier and Fenris found them? They would've been killed before she even got here. What if she brings Fenris back to the palace and the beast suddenly goes berserk and kills everyone? What if the All-Father imprisoned it there for a reason and she just brought about Ragnarok thousands of years too early?

She briefly saw Ornulf look panicked at her reaction, before Tyrkir placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked at her. "If you kill it now, the life debt will be null and void. But I believe that is not what you want?"

Hela nodded sheepishly.

Tyrkir then took a deep breath, suddenly looking for all the world like he was going to regret even suggesting this. "I think I can help with that. You need to reassure everyone that you have the situation under control and that Fenris won't harm anyone. The only means to do so is to give a convincing speech, and proof." He eyed the creature warily. "Are you certain Fenris won't actually harm anyone?"

Hela looked down from her perch on the giant head, Fenris growling and digging its claws on the earth in irritation. Hela could just feel its hatred at being forced to restrain herself and _behave._ "Fenris, do you swear not to hurt anyone when we get back?" She paused and added thoughtfully, "Unless I tell you to?"

Fenris abruptly stopped at that before letting out an amused snort, _'I like the way you think, godling.'_ She huffed, _'Very well.'_

Hela turned back to the two boys, who looked visibly frightened and unnerved at their silent conversation. "She agrees."

Tyrkir let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "All right, that's good. Now all that's left to do is to create the speech itself, and for you to hunt another creature, since an alive one doesn't count."

Hela nodded quickly, and smiled sincerely at him. "You have my utmost gratitude, Tyrkir."

Ornulf glared at the two of them, more specifically at Tyrkir, before sighing and muttering something that almost sounded like: " _Why am I not surprised...?"_ before shrugging. "Since you got Tyrkir in on this, I guess I don't have much choice but to help too."

"You don't have to do it, Ornulf." Hela told him quietly, "I completely understand if you were to back out now. I won't hold it against you."

Ornulf suddenly snorted, and everyone blinked at its harshness. " _Please_. As if the both of you can handle this by yourselves. You'll be setting the beast loose on the palace before we know it. You'll need my help."

Hela smiled at him in relief, "Thank you so much, Ornu-"

"-However..." Ornulf's eyes suddenly narrowed towards Fenris, the normally bright and cheerful orbs suddenly looking cold and unyielding. Hela felt an involuntary chill run up her spine at the sight. "I want you to remember that I am only doing this for Hela. If it were up to me, I would've gutted you where you stood and sent your head to the All-Father myself."

Hela almost yelped when Fenris jerked its head to glower at the blond-haired boy, its green eyes wide and furious. Ornulf stared back calmly before meeting Hela's shocked eyes. He suddenly grinned at her, all traces of seriousness gone. "Now, what's the plan?"

Hela took a moment to get her bearings straight. Ornulf's mood swings were beginning to give her whiplash. She narrowed her eyes imperceptibly at the still grinning boy... perhaps her initial assessment of him was wrong. She would've thought he would be the first to jump at the chance to have a mascot or something for their group, but his cold reaction surprised her.

She resolved to file away those thoughts for later, she had bigger problems to worry about.

Tyrkir had no qualms hiding his thoughts however, instead, he gawked openly at his friend.

"You are going to catch flies, Tyrkir." If Ornulf rolled his eyes that hard again, they're probably gonna come loose. "Worry about more important things, such as that speech you mentioned."

"I- ah, right." Tyrkir cleared his throat, looking embarrassed and perhaps, less frightened now of the beast who still didn't attack them despite Ornulf's threats. "It is probably for the best if the Princess asks how it plans to do its end of the bargain so we are clear on all fronts."

Hela looked down at the eyes again, "You heard him Fenris, how exactly do you plan on fulfilling this… debt?"

The Wolf turned its gaze up towards her, looking both annoyed and amused at the same time. ' _I do not intend on owing someone for long.'_ It sniffed imperiously. _'I will stay with you, until the debt is repaid with haste.'_

In other words, Fenris will stay and probably find ways to 'save' her life to call it even. _Just great_. She'll probably have to watch her back now for unexpected 'dangers.'

Hela sighed, "Fine, all right, just help me kill some beasts so I can finally finish this gods-damned ceremony, since I can't exactly bring you back as my game."

To no one's surprise, the prideful wolf refused. ' _It is your task, not mine.'_

Hela almost threw her hands up, if not for the sword still pointed in its eye. " _Fine_!"

"We can assist Your Highness with that as well, if you would like." Tyrkir offered, though his eyes still glanced at the beast warily. "Just let me secure the elk and we will follow you."

Hela shook her head, "It will probably be best if you go back first. Best not to let anyone think we are helping each other. Thank you for the offer, though."

"An _excellent_ idea!" Ornulf grinned, back to his usual sunny self. "I don't really want to stay with your new pet for long. Happy hunting, Hela. And please actually _hunt_ something this time, yes?"

" _Ornulf_ …" Tyrkir groaned.

Hela laughed, "I swear it." She turned to the Wolf and smiled uncertainly at it, "come on then, we have a ceremony to finish."

 **…**

Freeing Fenris was definitely worth it, as Hela found out the next day when dumbfounded expressions and horrified gazes greeted her return.

Her beautiful mother was horribly pale underneath the harsh sunlight, suddenly looking like she aged an additional hundred years. She winced at the sight, making a mental note to apologize for the heart attack she almost induced. To her delight though, Herryk appeared as though he was about to pop a vein, and Vor had frozen where she sat. Only her father remained unpertrubed, and Hela suddenly remembered that he had watched everything that happened through Huginn and Muninn.

It seemed her attempt to render him speechless had failed after all.

Tyrkir and Ornulf smiled at her where they stood with their kills – the elk and the boar respectively – and she sent them another quick apologetic smile before coming to a stop before the All-Father.

"My King," She saluted with a fist over her heart and knelt.

"Daughter." He acknowledged, his amused gaze flickering to the beasts and back to her. "I see you have been busy."

Hela glanced at Fenris, who tossed her head back smugly, and at the ten dead beasts slung across her back – her kills ranging from bears, boars, deer, to lions and even a venomous snake so long it could probably wrap around Fenris' body three times over – and smiled slightly. "You could say that."

Odin then stood, and Hela was unsurprised to hear Fenris snarl. The Wolf had expressed its hatred of the All-Father back in the forest for imprisoning her. It was all Hela could do to make her swear not to attack him if she doesn't want a repeat of the imprisonment.

Still… _'Calm, Fenris. Remember your oath.'_

Fenris growled in irritation.

Odin paused, and Hela noted how his eyes narrowed. "Back again, _fen-dweller_?"

' _Obviously_ , _All-Father.'_ Fenris almost drawled out the word. Hela had no doubt it would've, if it were actually capable of speech. Also, one thing she learned during their brief hunting trip in the forest was that Fenris is a sarcastic and sassy thing, and it'll probably be best not to let her antagonize the King further.

Hela abruptly stood and assumed a stern and commanding air, effectively catching everyone's attention away from the budding tension. Her narrowed eyes slowly looked over the gathered crowd, noting how their gazes varied from frightened, suspicious, to even anticipation for a punishment. She decided to quickly crush any cause for suspicion and doubt before it could take root. "Fenris Wolf owes me a life debt, and has sworn an oath to serve me until that debt is repaid." She said slowly, observing as the faces shifted from frightened and horrified to _intrigued_. "As such, she has also sworn an oath not to harm anyone who is not a threat to the realm and its people." Her face smoothed out, her body projecting confidence and surety to render her next words effective and final. "Asgard need not fear her as long as I live."

The crowd went silent in surprise, and Hela turned to her father, who watched the scene without a word. "Fenris is not the game I brought back, nor did she help me kill these beasts," she waved a dismissive hand to the carcasses still slung over the Wolf's back. "As you well know already, All-Father."

… "I know." Odin confirmed, and the whole crowd breathed out as one in relief. The King's word is absolute; everyone knows this. If he does not see a problem with this, then there _was_ no problem.

Odin silently gestured for all the trainees to line up, and Hela swiftly stood with her friends who offered reassuring smiles. "All of you have performed admirably. You have shown courage, strength, honor, and ingenuity (his gaze briefly landed on Hela) to succeed in your tasks. The beasts you have brought back will be a staple for tonight's feast, where you will finally be recognized as worthy men and woman of Asgard. Your actions are to be commended."

The crowd dutifully applauds and cheers, though Hela was amused to note that it doesn't sound as enthusiastic as it should've since they glanced warily at the Giant Wolf the whole time.

Odin suddenly held up a hand and the noise immediately died down. "However, there _is_ one such individual who deserved to be recognized for finally coming of age and even performing beyond expectations, despite the limited resources provided for her." Hela suddenly got a foreboding chill in her bones. "Crown Princess Hela of Asgard, step forward."

 _What are you playing at, All-Father?_ Hela tried her best to look confident, stepping towards the King and kneeling.

He gestured, and a servant then stepped forward and handed Odin a small chest. He opened it slowly, and Hela's heart promptly plummeted to her stomach at the sight.

"Rise." Hela rose numbly, eyes trained on the thing in Odin's grip. "For your admirable actions during the ceremony, I see fit to reward you a fine weapon, worthy of a true warrior and princess of Asgard." He held the thing up, letting the crowd see, "A war hammer made from the powerful metal _uru_ , crafted by the finest Dwarven blacksmiths in Nidavellir and laced with spells of my own making." He continued, heedless of Hela screaming internally, "A weapon that can win wars, slaughter our enemies, and defend the Realm Eternal. It will serve you well, my daughter." His eyes gleamed with triumph, and Hela closed her eyes in defeat. "Use it well."

And with those ominous words, Mjolnir was hers.

 **...**

 **EDITED: 1/19/20**

* * *

 **IMPORTANT:** I've recently joined Webnovel after an offer to publish my story there. Don't worry, I won't take this down but if you do enjoy my story, please show your support on Webnovel where you can always stay 2 chapters ahead.

 **Here is the link: (please remove the parenthesis)** **(** https:) / / (dynamic) . (webnovel) . c(om) / (fanficapp) /149296849 (05153505)

I would really appreciate it sooo much if you guys would also support me there too by writing reviews and comments. It would really mean the world to me. ^^ Thank you so much!


	8. The Deal with Mjolnir

**IMPORTANT : ****I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**

 **A/N: Everyone, I am so sorry this took so long! For those who don't know, I joined after publishing the last chapter here and it was agreed upon that I need to publish 2 chapters ahead there before publishing anything here. So the whole time I was silent, I was actually busy writing new chapters so I can finally update xD The other option is to delete a few chapters which, as you can guess, is not an option because I'll lose all your wonderful reviews. I really hope you're all still with me!**

 **Also, thank you so much to those who supported me all the way there! I really appreciate each and every one of the nice comments and reviews I get, both here and on Webnovel. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!**

 **P.S. From now on, review replies will be at the bottom so you can read the chapter first. ^^**

* * *

 **Also, since a lot of you didn't realize why I made Odin give Mjolnir to Hela, it's because in the original MCU, Hela is the original wielder of the hammer. You can briefly see it in the murals she revealed in Thor: Ragnarok. Hope that helps!**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight:**

 **The Deal with Mjolnir**

* * *

Astrid hummed softly to herself, taking care not to jostle the jars of water she's currently carrying towards the princess's room. According to several servants she met along the way, the Coming-of-Age ceremony – which was a traditional event for Asgard's youth to determine their ascension to maturity – was finally finished, which meant all the participants and citizens alike will be gathering in the Great Hall for a grand feast. She also heard that it was the Princess who brought back the most impressive catch of her batch, which was unsurprising in her opinion, given that it's Princess Hela.

Astrid smiled widely at the thought of the normally kind and quiet Princess who loved to stay inside her room finally showing her true worth by slaying beasts thrice her size in front of everyone. Astrid herself had readied her attire for the special day – an emerald green knight's uniform with coattails and intricate designs on the coat hems, a black vest with a white blouse underneath, black breeches, and knee high boots – to show her own support for the young woman.

Now knowing that she won the bout, Astrid had seen fit to spoil her as much as possible. Knowing the Princess, she'll most likely head for her room instead of partaking in the feast. Astrid cannot claim to personally know Her Highness, but she _does_ know that the Princess avoids feasts like it's the plague, always preferring to lock herself up in her room or the library. It was a safe bet, which was why Astrid was on her way to fill up the bath for her.

Turning a corner, the old servant found herself passing by a certain room that made her stifle a chuckle. That lounge had definitely transformed from an unused and dusty room into the place the Princess and her friends called "The Lair." However, it was rare that those three get to spend time there together. Usually, it was just Lord Ornulf and occasionally, Princess Hela. The young lord Tyrkir tended to avoid the place; rumor had it he's still embarrassed to have received such a grand room from the royal family. Astrid had half a mind to tell him to just accept it, as the Princess would definitely want him to.

Humming a cheerful tune, the old servant continued along the wide corridors of the palace, passing by the huge windows overlooking the courtyard and the Bifrost. She always couldn't help but gaze longingly after it; Astrid hadn't left Asgard her whole life. She often wondered what it would be like to visit other Realms. Vanaheim seemed like a good place to visit, since the climate there was more like Asgard's at least, and she already knew several Vanir who also stayed in Asgard, their current Queen included.

Astrid gazed at it a moment more before shaking her head and looking forward again. Thinking like that wasn't the place of a servant like her. She should be grateful that she was serving _in_ the palace; it's already a good life for her, especially since the royal family was so benevolent and generous.

Turning, she moved to take another step and immediately froze when the ground _shook_.

' _An earthquake? Here?'_

She held on to the jars with a death grip, the shaking so strong it's rattling the windowpanes and causing the water to slosh around the jar. A shadow suddenly fell over her and she whirled before staring outside the window in shock.

A gigantic wolf with glistening black fur was slowly meandering its way across the courtyard, its constant footsteps the source of the shaking. Astrid felt her jaw drop even more when she saw that there was a little figure walking along beside it who seemed to be giving directions and pointing this way and that.

The distinct clothes that she herself prepared just yesterday gave the figure's identity away.

Princess Hela actually looked the part of someone who just spent the better part of the afternoon and evening hunting for beasts in the forest. Her previously immaculate outfit is now covered in dust and dirt, with smudges of it still smeared across her face. Some leaves and twigs were also sticking out of her hair, almost as if the Princess spent the better part of the day rolling around the forest floor.

To her surprise, the Princess suddenly caught her gaze as she was pointing at another random window near her position. She could only smile weakly when the latter quickly sent her a huge grin and a cheery wave before going back to her task of herding the Giant Wolf towards who knows where.

The servants certainly did not mention _that_ in their talks about the ceremony.

She could only shake her head fondly; the King and Queen will definitely have their hands full once the Princess grows into a young woman. Who knows what kind of mischief she'll stir up?

Chuckling loudly now, Astrid finally entered the Princess's chambers and deposited the jars of water next to the bath. She hummed as she worked on slowly filling the tub and replacing the scented oils and soaps.

As she did so, she didn't notice a shadow move in the alcove closest to the bed...

 **…**

"Alright, in you go." Hela gestured to the area behind the palace that was nearest to the forest, "We still don't have space for you, so I suppose the edge of the forest will do as a temporary shelter until we can build something."

Fenris gazed at her unimpressed, ' _Or I could just go back and_ spare you all the trouble _, little godling.'_

"And then never come back? You know, I heard somewhere that life debts can kill you if something were to happen to me without you here." Hela shrugged nonchalantly, "You never know when danger may arrive."

The Giant Wolf snorted, ' _Learn to make use of your new toy to protect yourself, then.'_

At that reminder, Hela winced and glanced at the heavy hammer hooked to her belt with uncertainty. "No thanks, a war hammer isn't really my style."

' _Rejecting a gifted weapon is a huge offense to the giver, or so I have been told._ ' Fenris's eyes glittered in amusement, before glaring at said hammer. ' _Though I understand your need of discarding it, the Allfather could not choose a more…_ tasteless _weapon.'_

She easily made it sound like a curse.

Hela laughed nervously, "I think I'll just stick it in my closet until my little brother comes along or something. I don't think he'd want me playing with his stuff after all."

The Wolf eyed her, '… _You speak strangely, godling.'_

She shrugged, "I get told that a lot. Though between the two of us, you speaking through my mind is a lot stranger, Fenris."

' _That reminds me,'_ The Wolf suddenly narrowed her gaze, making her take a step back in surprise. ' _How did you know my name? I doubt the Allfather mentioned me at all.'_ She stepped closer menacingly, _'And how did you know where I was?'_

Hela refused to take another step back and cower like a child. She stood up straight, "You're right, Father didn't see fit to mention you at all. As to how I found you… this may sound a bit odd, but a huge squirrel told me your name and the location of the cave.

She tilted her head, "Was it supposed to be a secret?" It couldn't be, because Tyrkir instantly knew Fenris's name without her telling him. Or maybe it was the Wolf's location that was a secret?

She watched as Fenris's eyes went wide, before it let out a growl so loud and deep the ground _trembled_. _'I should've known.'_

"What? What is it?" She's completely lost now.

 _'The squirrel,'_ she growled and glared at the heavens _, 'It was Ratatoskr. You must be interesting indeed, godling, if you caught that meddling fool's attention. He usually only talks to Nidhogg, the Norns, and that arrogant eagle.'_

Hela froze; Ratatoskr… wasn't he the gossiping squirrel that loves to run up and down Yggdrasil in the myths to spread lies?

"Well… that doesn't sound good." Hela smiled weakly, before frowning. "Wait, did you just say ' _Norns_?'"

However, Fenris doesn't look like she's listening anymore, if the way her eyes occasionally dart towards the forest indicates anything. Hela watched her for a while before remarking idly, filing the information about the Norns away for now. "…I will _probably_ not get into any danger at a feast though, so I guess you can go run around for a while."

The Wolf abruptly stiffened at that, before instantly whirling and dashing into the forest without even a glance back.

Hela watched her go, her mouth quirking up in amusement. "Not excited at all, are we?" She shook her head, "Well, you can't win them all."

"You most certainly did, if your recent performance indicated anything."

Hela jumped in surprise before bowing deeply as Vor approached, the normally stern-looking woman looking downright _pissed_.

Hela could only swallow; _this wasn't going to end well at all…_

Vor waited until she had risen before continuing to speak, "You have been reckless, child. I told you to think before you act, and yet you did the exact opposite. That Wolf could have easily killed you and everyone in the grounds if your friends had not talked some sense into you." Her glare could power a thousand suns, "Reckless _and_ foolish."

Hela flinched at each reprimand, feeling ashamed and thoroughly chastised. Ornulf had been bad enough; god only knew how that cheerful kid had it in him. But coming from Vor? She was _devastated_.

She couldn't muster the courage to look up and meet Vor in the eye, especially since she knew the instructor was right. She _had_ been reckless, not to mention utterly stupid and overconfident in her abilities. Just because she had reincarnated _once_ doesn't mean she should constantly put her life and others in danger.

After all, there may not _be_ a third chance.

A hand on her shoulder suddenly made her thoughts screech to a halt, and she looked up to see Vor gazing at her softly. "Reckless and foolish you may be, but you remained strong and resolute against all odds, which is more than I can say for the others." She squeezed gently, "You did well, my princess."

Gaping dumbfounded, Hela watched as Vor gave one last squeeze before turning away, but not before saying one last thing over her shoulder, "And do not worry, I _will_ have a word with him. As I know you are well aware, that weapon was supposed to be your main weapon in the ceremony itself."

Hela nodded. It was obvious. "Thank you, Vor." She smiled up at her; very much glad she had someone like Vor on her side. Her instructor may be pissed, but she'll just find a way to make it up to her sometime.

Vor nodded in acknowledgement and left.

Hela exhaled.

 _Now, how to deal with the other problem…_

She checked to see if there's nobody around, all the while hoping Heimdall wasn't secretly listening in (though she's fairly sure he wasn't. He probably had better things to do than stalk Hela all day) before taking a deep breath. "Alright Hela, everything's gonna be fine. It's not as if there's a giant war hammer straight from the myths just hanging on your belt." She closed her eyes and tried not to break out in a squeal of excitement or an anxious whimper, whichever comes first. "It's fine, it's cool."

She exhaled one more time before reaching and gripping Mjolnir's handle, and almost dropping it when she felt the hammer slightly _hum_ like a purring cat. She laughed uneasily before whispering, "Hey Mjolnir, last time I checked, you weren't supposed to show up for another two thousand years or something."

The hammer stayed silent and she sighed, "Look, I'm sorry but I think there's been a mistake. Thor was supposed to be your owner, not me." She tapped idly on its surface, listening to it hum gently. "Besides, swords suit me far better anyways."

To her surprise, the hammer seemed to hum more urgently, as if it's mad. Hela stared down at it, "I'm almost afraid to ask, but are you sentient?"

The hammer quieted into a gentler hum and she whistled, "I suppose everything here is sentient, from a squirrel to even a damn hammer. I want to say it's cool but I'm slowly starting to freak out." She laughed awkwardly, "Anyway, refusing you would mean outright offending my father, and ignoring you would mean offending _you_ , so I guess I'm gonna keep you for awhile. At least, until my stubborn little brother finally decides to show up."

Hela suddenly stopped and stared at it, "That reminds me, since you're sentient, it must've hurt when the original Hela broke you to pieces." The hammer jolted and gave an almost shocked hum, and she gazed at it determinedly, "Don't worry; I won't do that to you. I promise I'll take care of you until Thor comes along. In exchange, perhaps you can help me survive this mess of a second life."

Saying that, Hela stood up, placed Mjolnir head down on the grass, and slowly backed a few feet away from it. Taking a deep breath, she nervously closed her eyes and held out a hand. "…Do we have a deal, Mjolnir?"

The smack on her palm as the hammer landed with an agreeing hum settled it.

 **…**

With that conversation done, Hela – hammer back at her hip – headed back inside the palace towards the Great Hall, where the feast was currently being held. All the participants' families and relatives will be there so it will likely be crowded. The King and Queen too, since they were the main hosts. Hela only postponed attending because of Fenris but now she had no more excuses.

She almost sighed; she always did hate parties. And now her parents would likely want her to brandish and flaunt her new weapon around, which she of course couldn't _not_ do without offending the Allfather.

 _Sorry in advance, little brother._

"Well now, whatever's got the ceremony's champion so down?"

Startled, Hela looked up to see a black-haired boy looking about her age sitting on the stone railing overlooking the courtyard, a bored hand on his chin while he gazed at her out of the corner of his eye. She raised an eyebrow curiously at him, until he remembered protocol and jumped down from his perch, landing squarely on his feet before saluting and bowing, "Greetings, my Princess."

"Greetings as well," She smiled at him in amusement, "I don't recall feeling down, nor being the 'champion'. Perhaps you've mistaken me for someone else?"

He immediately straightened up from his bow, an easy grin on his face. "I can never mistake the person who brought back Fenris the Giant Wolf all by herself; therefore I am pretty certain I got the right Princess."

Hela raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "Fair enough. Can I ask who you are though, since I'm pretty sure I haven't seen you around before…?"

She cut herself off when she noticed him staring at her in bewilderment. She frowned and he startled, "I apologize for staring, Your Highness. I just cannot believe the rumors are true."

She frowned suspiciously, "What rumor?"

He smiled apologetically, "That you talk strangely, Your Highness."

She almost sighed, "That's the second time this day, ever thought that maybe _you_ are the ones who talk strangely? That reminds me, you didn't answer my question."

He suddenly bowed and saluted again, "Forgive me, allow me to introduce myself." He smiled up at her, "I am Lucas Einarson, and I believe you have not seen me yet because I am a trainee from the other unit. We probably have different schedules."

Hela nodded slowly in understanding. That made sense, especially because there were many trainees who dreams to become Einherjar, which was the highest and most important honor a person not from a noble family could get, particularly because you get to serve and protect the royal family themselves. They were kind of like the _ultimate_ soldiers.

Now since there were many trainees, they have all been divided into several units. Hela herself was a part of Herryk's unit whose training schedule was in the mornings. Other units have schedules in the afternoon and evening, so there were most likely many more that Hela haven't met yet. The thing was, every single unit participated in the Coming-of-Age ceremony, so it made sense that she just hadn't seen Lucas among the hundreds of trainees.

However, he did say his name was 'Einarson', which meant that he's the son of Duke Einar, who was the fourth most powerful man in the Realm Eternal after the King, Queen, and Princess herself.

The reclusive Duke Einar, who reportedly rarely left his home unless the King himself summoned him. Because of that, there weren't a lot of news about him and his family. She doesn't even know he _had_ a son.

Good thing Lord Lucas doesn't seem to be a loner like his father. "I see." She smiled, "Greetings Lord Einarson, how is the Duke these days? I didn't see him in the ceremony earlier."

"He is fine," He replied with a smile, though his words sounded like it was rehearsed. "He is a busy man and has opted to remain in our home to work."

"I understand. A Duke's duties are very demanding." She gestured to the nearby entrance of the Great Hall, where she could already hear laughter and clanging of silverware inside. "Are you not going to the feast?"

He shook his head, "I already went earlier, and the food is as excellent as ever, Your Highness."

"You should thank the cooks for that; they always do a wonderful job."

"Then I will be sure to extend my appreciation." He suddenly grinned mischievously and surprised her by lowering himself to a full bow, bending at the waist. "We are always _extremely_ grateful for the generosity and kindness of the Royal Family. Especially you, Princess. My congratulations for the excellent catch, you bringing back a Giant Wolf will undoubtedly go down in history and will be _very_ tough to beat for future generations."

Hela laughed awkwardly at the praise and waved it away, "I didn't take you for a flatterer, Lord Einarson."

"It is not flattery if it is the truth. And please, call me Lucas." He smiled and gestured to the hall, "You should go, Your Highness. The King and Queen have been looking for you."

"Truly?" She looked to the doors in slight trepidation and thought she felt the hammer at her hip grow heavier. "Then I will see you around, Lor- Lucas."

He nodded and hopped back to his perch just as Hela turned and made her way to the hall. Any curious thoughts about meeting Lucas were drowned out by the boisterous laughter and yells she could hear even beyond the huge doors.

She could feel the wide-eyed and admiring gazes directed at the hammer from the guards by the door. She felt Mjolnir humming in delight at their appreciation and she internally rolled her eyes in amusement. "Open the doors." She told them, and the guards almost scrambled to do just that.

The doors opened, and before she could stop him, the guard quickly announced her presence to the entire room.

Conversation stopped, and everyone's gazes immediately turned to the doors, their eyes wide. Hela, in turn, winced slightly. She had been hoping to just slip by or something.

"Your Highness!" One trainee blurted out, and suddenly, the whole room was chorusing with 'your highnesses' and 'princess.' Hela almost sighed at the display; sometimes being royalty was tiring. Everyone must always maintain proper behavior and decorum around her, some so blatantly fake it's nauseating.

"No need for that," Hela smiled kindly, and a few relaxed, "You may go back to what you were previously doing."

A moment passed where they only stared at her, before they gradually went back to do their own things. Hela in turn walked swiftly towards the head table, where the King and Queen watched her approach. She saluted, "Father, Mother."

"My daughter." Frigga gestured at the chair beside her. "Do sit down; your father and I were just looking for you."

"I know, Duke Einar's son told me."

"Ah, I see you have met Lucas." Frigga smiled widely, "Charming young man isn't he?"

"I suppose." Hela picked at her food, the lingering stares of almost everyone in the room making her lose her appetite. Frigga placed a hand on her own, halting the movement. She smiled warmly, her eyes shining with pride. "I never got to say it earlier, but I am _so_ proud of you Hela. You did very well despite encountering numerous complications and difficulties." She nodded to the hammer at her side, "I see Mjolnir has already chosen you. That is good, it will serve you well."

She nodded shyly, "Thank you, Mother, Father." She then suppressed a wicked grin. "Though I _did_ hear somewhere that my new weapon isn't originally a reward, but was supposed to be my weapon for the ceremony itself?"

To her great amusement, Odin growled out something that sounded suspiciously like " _Vor._ " Frigga side-eyed him before gazing apologetically at her, "Hela, we are so sorry for leaving you to fight out there without any proper weapons. Had I known, I would have commissioned something myself."

"It's alright, Mother." She smiled kindly at her. "Everything turned out well in the end, so no harm done."

"Just as well, especially because you have truly proven yourself worthy without any need for special weapons." Odin finally spoke, before glancing at his wife. "As I said, you should have trusted in our daughter's abilities, Frigga."

Frigga's gaze suddenly hardened at the reproach. Sensing things were going to get even worse; Hela quickly excused herself and left the tense atmosphere before she gets dragged into it. Peering into the crowd, she began searching for familiar faces while trying not to look too desperate about it when some curious eyes remained on her person.

"Your Highness!" Hela whirled and found herself face to face with Minister Vifil himself, Tyrkir's father. "Greetings, Minister Vifil." She smiled cheerily.

"I just want to say congratulations for bringing back such a marvelous beast." The Minister laughed heartily, "Everyone may say otherwise, but I believe you when you said you can control it. I cannot say the same for Minister Hrolf though."

At that statement, Hela laughed as well. Everyone knows Minister Hrolf – also known as the Minister of Security – was obsessed in maintaining the safety and security of the palace. A huge unknown such as a Giant Wolf suddenly appearing must be driving him crazy. "I hope I haven't gotten on his bad side because of that."

The Minister winked at her, "Do not worry, I will make sure to convince him of your innocence."

Hela bowed in mock solemnity, "I wish you luck on such a difficult task, Minister."

The Minister laughed again before walking away. Hela smiled in amusement before continuing her search for her friends. Unfortunately, everyone she passed took turns congratulating her, forcing her to engage in small talk for every one of them.

 _Finally!_ Hela grinned in relief when she finally spotted Tyrkir, Ornulf, and a brown-haired burly boy she recognized as their fellow trainee Gudrik at the end of a long table, everyone giving them a wide berth. Walking more confidently now that she had a destination, she came closer and watched as Gudrik immediately stopped talking and cleared his throat when he caught a glimpse of her, before putting a heavy hand on Tyrkir's shoulder. "See you two around."

Grinning smugly, Gudrik stopped to salute her before passing by. Hela absentmindedly gave him a slight nod before continuing to approach her friends. "Tyrkir, Ornulf!"

Tyrkir visibly startled to see Hela suddenly standing right next to him and hastily placed his right fist over his heart in a salute, and she noted that he was trembling slightly. "Your Highness!"

Ornulf looked over as well, "Princess!"

 _Titles again…_ Hela visibly sighed. _Why were they always so polite with her?_ "Hello to both of you too." She smiled wryly, "I thought we are friends? So please, none of that 'Your Highness' stuff or any kind of title."

They stiffened, "…S-Sure!" Ornulf shrugged and Hela noted the slight stutter. "Though you'll probably have a hard time beating it out of Tyrkir here."

Hela noted the interesting choice of words, and the fact that Ornulf looked more hesitant than usual. "I'm sure it wouldn't come to that, right Tyrkir?"

Said boy remained silent for a few moments, and Hela turned to him worriedly, "Tyrkir?"

He shook his head and turned away. Hela debated on making him spill, but backed down in the end. Maybe he'll cool off by the end of the feast. "…So what was Gudrik doing here?"

There was a slight pause, before Ornulf shrugged. "Nothing important. He's just bragging as usual, said he caught a bear. Who cares though, if _you_ caught a Giant Wolf?"

"Fenris wasn't exactly my catch, though." Hela reminded him.

He waved it away, "Details."

Hela glanced around the amount of food on the table and swiped a piece of bread from a basket. Chewing thoughtfully, she noted that everyone is still giving them a wide berth. There was also a rather tense feeling in the air, and she frowned heavily. "Why's everyone staring at us?"

Ornulf didn't look up and shrugged again, "I don't know."

Hela looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He's acting strange today, and she couldn't put a finger on it. She turned to glance at the other person in the table, "Tyrkir?"

No response. Hela tried calling for him again, but he didn't even look up or apologize, which was odd, given that it's the respectful and overly polite Tyrkir they're dealing with here. Glancing at her apologetically, Ornulf repeatedly nudged him, which finally annoyed him enough to yell out. " _I just don't get it_!"

Hela stared in surprise, "Get– what?"

He gasped and immediately covered his mouth, clearly not meaning to yell that. He glanced nervously at her and she gazed expectantly. He visibly steeled himself to continue.

"I… I just don't get why you're here." He mumbled.

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Hela asked him patiently, brows knitted as she tried to understand what he's trying to say. "Tyrkir, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know," He sighed in frustration, "I just… why are you here with us? Why are you wasting your time?"

Hela gaped at him in disbelief and immediately glanced at Ornulf to help.

Ornulf doesn't look surprised, instead he just turned to his friend, "Do you want to take this outside?"

Tyrkir nodded silently.

Hela stared. _Seems like they both feel this way. Whatever this is._ Silently, the three left the bustling hall and she led the way to one of the nearby rooms for privacy. Locking the doors, She then turned to face them, Mjolnir humming almost in concern at her belt.

"…Alright, what did you mean earlier?" She attempted a neutral tone. "I don't understand."

However, it seemed her tone betrayed her hurt, because they immediately scrambled to apologize. "We are sorry, princess, but we just did not expect you would want to associate with us." Ornulf explained awkwardly, "Compared to the others, we aren't exactly the most fitting companions for a princess. Especially since we are both… you know..." He looked to Tyrkir for help.

"Since we are both outcasts." Tyrkir muttered bitterly.

" _What_?" Hela exclaimed, looking between the two of them. _First Odin and Frigga were in a mood, and now them?_ "Who told you that? What do you mean?"

"Haven't you noticed?" Tyrkir gestured around in frustration. "We are the worst trainees. Not to mention our ranks! The son of a Minister is easily one of the lowest ranks possible. Ornulf here is practically treated like _drit_ just because he isn't born in a noble family!"

Ornulf looked away at that, but Tyrkir soldiered on.

"Even _I_ was treated horribly just because I wanted to become friends with Ornulf," Tyrkir raged. "And now you went and became friends with _us_ , and suddenly, everyone acted like they didn't do anything wrong! You even went and got us a room in the palace which definitely made things worse!"

Hela stared in shock. She _had_ noticed that the other trainees often ostracized and avoided the two like a plague before she came along. And she had _definitely_ noticed that the two boys always seemed behind the others in terms of training.

 _Wait a minute, what exactly happened with Gudrik earlier?_

"What do you mean it 'made things worse'?" She asked worriedly, "Were you being bullied while I was not there?"

The two boys suddenly paled, which confirmed Hela's suspicions. How long was this going on, and why didn't she notice her two best friends being treated like that?!

Tyrkir shook his head frantically, "You are better off without us, Your Highness. I know you already know this, but I feel it prudent to remind you that it's a cruel world out there. Power and social status are everything. You would be better off associating with the Duke or the Count's son." He abruptly turned away to leave, fists clenched.

"Tyrkir, no!" Hela placed a hand on his arm in desperation, "Why bring it up now? Was it because of Fenris? Was it because I put you two in danger? If so, I'm sorry! I was stupid and careless and didn't think things through at all!"

He immediately denied it. "No, Princess, it's not about that."

Hela's eyes then hardened, "Then was it because of Gudrik?"

Tyrkir visibly stiffened under her grip before shaking his head again, "N-No it's just, you wouldn't gain anything from associating with us. We're holding you back. Not to mention, we would only give you a bad image and that's not something you can afford–"

 _"You think I care about that?!"_

Tyrkir immediately cut himself off as Hela glared fiercely at him, eyes shining with unshed tears. "Do you really think I cared about my status, or the opinions of other people?! Dammit guys, I approached you because I wanted us to be friends!"

Tyrkir backed away as Hela stalked towards him, and Ornulf immediately tried to stand between the two. "Hela–"

"I don't care about your statuses or your abilities!" Hela laughed bitterly, "In case you haven't noticed, I am also an outcast. Though I admit it is through no one's fault but my own."

They looked at her incredulously, "How can _you_ be an outcast? You are the Crown Princess! You probably have thousands of friends inside and outside the realm." Ornulf said in disbelief.

Hela shook her head, "I don't want to associate with anyone who likes me just because of my wealth or power. You two are the first people I met who doesn't care about any of that. You are my first friends." Hela told them honestly. "I just want people who genuinely consider me a friend and not like some prize to be won!

"I didn't know you were being bullied like this, but now that I know, I'll make sure they pay for what they've done." Hela's eyes glinted with malice, "I assure you, I won't let them get away with it."

The two had frozen at her outburst and now looked like she had smacked them across the face. Hela clenched her fists, she hadn't meant to lose it completely, but the thought of losing the only people she genuinely enjoyed being with…

She doesn't want to lose them, but if they won't change their minds, then she won't force them to stay.

"You don't need to do that!" Tyrkir shook his head frantically, "I… I just don't want you to regret becoming associated with us…" He bowed his head in shame. "Forgive us, Princess."

"I understand, don't worry about it." Hela glared at nothing, already planning on how to tear Gudrik a new one.

Tyrkir winced at her expression, "Just… don't take it too far?"

"Are you kidding?! She just said we are her first friends! Suck on that Gudrik!" Ornulf practically crowed in excitement, back to his cheerful self.

Hela narrowed her eyes. _Even in Asgard, bullies exist._ It's reassuring to see Ornulf's cheerful face again while Tyrkir slowly relaxed at his side.

"He always makes fun of us and the new recruits. As if he is any better." Ornulf snorted, but then glanced at Hela apologetically, "He also said some things about you…"

"Ornulf!" Tyrkir hissed.

The blond-haired boy immediately ducked in apology, but Hela already heard. "What things?" Hela asked curiously, but not surprised. She knew she doesn't have the best reputation because of her determination to become a warrior even though she's a girl and the fact that she's always cooped up in her rooms. She doesn't let any of those rumors get to her though. After all, she was already a grown woman, teasing and insulting children couldn't affect her no matter how hard they try.

The two glanced at each other and then at her, most probably trying to gauge her reaction. Tyrkir started, "Well… he once called you a fool for trying to defend seidr use to the commander. Said it was for cowards and cheats."

Hela raised an eyebrow, "Well, nothing new there."

Tyrkir visibly faltered in surprise, and Ornulf quickly took over eagerly, apparently using this chance to insult the princess without repercussions. "He also said you are trying too hard, and that you will not last a second in a real fight, though we all know you definitely proved him wrong after the ceremony." He grinned, "He also said you have delusions of grandeur. ' _A skinny girl like her cannot become a warrior,_ ' he said. ' _I bet the wind can knock her out–_ '"

" _Ornulf_!" Tyrkir yelled, and said boy's jaw clamped shut in horror. They quietly waited for her reaction for such treasonous words.

"...Thank you both for informing me."

Once again, the two looked stunned.

Hela smiled wickedly, "I will not confront him. It is childish. Besides, those cannot be called insults anyway, for how weak and pathetic they were. I bet I could make him cry with just a few words."

Ornulf practically guffawed. "If I have money, I'll bet it all on you Princess."

Hela laughed when Tyrkir looked like he's _this_ close to strangling Ornulf. Mjolnir hummed in support and she patted it calmly before grabbing the two boys and hugging them as tight as she was able.

Thank god, she won't be losing any friends today.

 **…**

As an apology, the two boys – each looking eager to make it up to her after the disagreement – escorted Hela back to her room. She shook her head when the door finally closed, knowing that she'll never grow tired of her friends' antics.

Giggling to herself, she dropped Mjolnir off on the table before heading towards the bathroom to shower. After a long day climbing mountains, accidentally covering herself with wolf drool, and attending a feast with the other trainees who haven't washed up either, she knew she smelled pretty darn awful.

Stepping into the bathroom, she quickly realized something was wrong. The bath wasn't filled up yet for one thing; everyone knew she preferred to shower twice a day so the bath was always filled up whenever she came back to her room. For another, the water jars had tipped over, spilling their contents across the floor, almost as if the servant who handled this left in a hurry.

 _What made them leave, though?_

Turning around, Hela quietly sneaked back to her room, trying to extend her senses. The atmosphere felt murky, now that she thought about it. There was a general sense of unease, and she actually strained to get a feel of her _own_ room.

Something was wrong.

"Heimdall," She called as quietly as she could. "If you could hear me, please get help."

She didn't know if he heard or that murky feeling prevented him from doing so, but if there _was_ someone in her room, he or she already knew she's here.

 _The question was,_ who _?_

Steeling herself, Hela paused before stepping back into the room normally, looking for all the world like she was just heading to her dresser to search for a change of clothes.

With her back to the rest of the room, Hela closed her eyes and waited.

 **…**

 _ **drit**_ **\- a Norwegian curse word which means "shit" or "crap."**

* * *

 **Review Replies: (Since it has come to my attention that my way of replying is confusing, I'll be more specific xD)**

 **Raphaim: Yes, Odin is a big butt lmao. He _is_ trying, though fatherhood is definitely NOT what he expected it to be.**

 **naughtylittlesuccubus: Thank you so much for such high praise! And please don't die yet lol I still need you to read the rest of the story xD just kidding.**

 **DevilsArray: Thank you for sharing your insights about the chapter, I would love to hear more of your thoughts! ^^**

 **Falling Right Side-Up: I hope you meant that "Oh my!" in a good way XD**

 **mk0008: Truthfully, I was dissatisfied with the chapter because I couldn't think of a good enough way for Hela to free Fenris. I guess it's all okay now though lol since you guys seem to like it. ^^ And yes, you're correct. Mjolnir isn't going to be Hela's main weapon because she knows it belongs to Thor. I only made Odin give it to her because in the original movies, Odin originally gave Hela Mjolnir before her banishment. Thank you for reading and the super nice review!**

 **Reaper7: Lmao, cheers to Ornulf for almost breaking the fourth wall xD kidding!**

 **Littlecosma001: Thank you so much! I'm so sorry this took so long, I hope it's still worth the wait xD Truthfully, I'm not satisfied with the last chapter because I couldn't think of a good enough way for Hela to free Fenris. I guess it's okay now since you guys seem to like it lol. And yes, I didn't really plan to make them become instant "friends." Fenris is too wild for Snow White's thing with animals. And about Mjolnir, the rules about where only those who are worthy can lift it don't apply because it only started after Odin exiled Thor to Midgard, so Mjolnir at present can be wielded by anybody and is a powerful melee weapon, though Hela can't summon lightning through it because that's Thor's power. Mjolnir can't generate lightning by itself. She can fly with it though. Hope that helps! :)**

 **11myownroad11: Thank you so much! It will be quite a long time before Thor and Loki can enter the picture though so I hope you can bear with me until then. xD**

 **joniskpelare: Yes, Hela needs all the comforting hugs she could get. And I like how you guys all spotted the dinosaur reference. xD**

 **AnimeFreak71777: ;)**

 **Imperial Guard 1337: The Norns are probably laughing that "evil laugh" right now honestly xD**

 **RedHood001: To be honest, I didn't even notice that. That's a great little detail you caught! Odin's speech about Mjolnir _does_ contrast with this one and the one in the movies. This one heavily implies that Odin meant for Hela to use the hammer as only a weapon to fight and destroy, while Odin in the movies wants Thor to use it to build. Perhaps because he learned his mistake from Hela.**

 **Zaralann: Thank you so much for that nice comment! ^^**

 **serus black antihumannature: Thank you so much! I'll see about those, though no guarantees because I don't really read the comics. _**

 **DannyPhantom619: Thank you very much! Hope you're still interested. And yes, now she has a Wolf pal! xD**

 **jdude281: I am so sorry this took so long! I hope you still find it worth the wait. Thank you so much for reading and please stay tuned! ^^**

 **Laura Sakuraba: Yess, thank you so much for that super nice review! I'm glad to know you're enjoying it! ^^**

 **seraphina987: Thank you for reading and reviewing too! :D**

 **Mari: You sensed right! Odin and Hela won't be agreeing with the other's views any time soon, so expect a lot of disagreements. And yes, Fenris will sooner take Hela's side than Odin's. I'm so happy you think so, and that you think Hela's a realistic and relatable character, since that's my goal all along. Thank you for the amazing review and please stay tuned! ^^**

 **Death Fury: Thank you so much! And about the hammer, I incorporated the fact that Hela was the original wielder of Mjolnir as a reward in this fic because it's just like Odin to not know what weapon suits his daughter best. xD**

 **Levolutioner: LMAO, thank you so much! xD Please stay hyped!**

 **Crazysister101: Thank you so much for understanding! Yes, writer's block sucks. I feel like I'm constantly trying to overcome it :( And about Hela, you're absolutely right. She knows she's not Mjolnir's true owner, and she let Mjolnir know that they have to work together in the meantime before its true owner comes along.**

 **Katrinalice5: Thank you so much! Again, I'm so sorry it took so long!**

 **nameword: I'm glad to know I can surprise you guys xD I'm so happy you guys like Hela as a character, since in most of the self-insert stories I read, the readers bash the SIs. I'm super glad to see this is not the case here. ^^**

 **Iceborn Fenrir: Thank you for reading too! Please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **Father Chaos: I feel like I'm constantly experiencing writer's block, and I always struggle to overcome it. Only the fact that there are readers and reviewers like you waiting for me to update give me the motivation to write. Now I'm embarrassed by the fact that I wrote all those awkward conversations between Tyrkir, Ornulf, and Fenris. I think I just tried writing the simplest chatter so I can move the story along. Now, I'm happy to say that it's all fixed, and I provided a depth to Ornulf that wasn't previously shown. I hope you can check it out because you inspired me to rewrite that whole awkward exchange xD And yes, Mjolnir _does_ help in harnessing and focusing the power you already possess and more. It helped focus and amplify Thor's lightning, so I wonder what it will do for Hela? XD And finally, yes! I realized that my way of replying to the reviewers is confusing so my thanks again for helping me notice that. The comics thing will be something I'll try to check out, no promises though lol. Again, I really appreciate your insights and thoughts about the chapter, thank you so much for all the help and advice! I'd like to hear more from you! ^^ **

**ReadLikeHermione: Thank you so much! I will try my best to do so ^^**

 **allicients: Thank you so much!**

 **Mobius-mech: The official stance Asgard has on seers is that they are very rare. In fact, the only known seer I know of is the Goddess Freya since she's like the patron god of the seers, and Mimir the Wise. Although it _does_ look like those three people you mentioned are getting mighty suspicious about a certain princess. I'll see about trying to incorporate that into the story. It's actually a pretty good idea, I think, though the hard part is making a way to fit that in. No promises though! Thank you again for the ideas and for sharing your thoughts, please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **Verdauga: Yep, Fenris is one sassy ball of murderous fluff. xD**

 **Maira: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked my descriptions of Fenris and Hela's attempts to get him free. Foreign readers are always welcome so please don't be shy and continue to share your thoughts! ^^ Muchas gracias!**

 **ashenerden: I'm so sorry you think that way. Please read the rest of the story and let me know if your opinion changes.**

 **maramel: Lmao yes, she's given Mjolnir now! She knows it belongs to Thor though so she's just 'borrowing' it for now until she can pass it on. I hope this chapter answered all your questions! ^^**

 **Coesa Rudo: Thank you so much for that amazing review! I am very glad I managed to change your opinion for the better. Can you please tell me what made you hesitant to read it? Maybe I can fix that. Is it the summary? Is it too vague? Please give me advice because it may be the reason why not a lot of people check it out. I am so glad you liked my characterization of Hela even though she's an SI! Most people bash SIs so I was very nervous to try writing one. I'm happy it all worked out! ^^ Please stay tuned and thank you again!**

 **Azaira: Yes, Hela's basically immortal because her powers are connected to Asgard itself. Of course, Hela still needs to grow before she becomes truly immortal. I still don't know how to incorporate that fact into the story so I would appreciate any advice on that. Also, you certainly gave me a lot to think about, especially about Hela's power levels and intellect. I never thought about it that way at all, so thank you so much for making me realize this. You certainly didn't hold back lol but in a good way! Perhaps the only difference in intellect between Tyrkir and Hela is that Tyrkir actually has an eidetic memory. It's why he can recall Asgard's laws with such vivid detail. Hela needs to study hard still so she can catch up but I see what you mean. And the fact that original!Hela actually has to attend those play dates, thus making her have no time to spare for training is a funny image. TGoD!Hela _does_ have a huge head start. Again, thank you so much!**

 **Guest 1: Thank you so much! I'm trying so hard to fix that past-present tense issue since many reviewers already called me out on it lol xD I'm actually editing the earlier chapters so please check them out. I know I probably didn't get them all but I think it's a lot better now. ^^**

 **Silvermane1: Thank you so much! ^^**

 **Amatsumi: Very true, though Hela will still try to change her fate, because why else would she replace the original Hela unless she has to change something? However, some things, like the hammer, will still be the same.**

 **tylermech66: I made Odin give Hela Mjolnir because if you can recall, Hela is the original wielder of the hammer as depicted in the movies. Thor and Loki's time will be quite a ways into the future, especially since we haven't even started in the war between the 9 Realms yet lol. This is Hela's fic so I'll be focusing a lot on her story, though rest assured I will include Thor and Loki soon. I'm actually excited to write them already but I still can't xD And about her role as the goddess of death, we'll see. Thank you and please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **Phenomenal Ultra Instinct: A nice summary for the last chapter, I'll say. And I hope this answered your question about Mjolnir. Hela would only 'borrow' the hammer until she can give it to Thor, since she's actually meant to be the original wielder of it in the movies. Thank you so much for the review! ^^**

 **Girl-luvs-manga: She definitely will lol, especially since she knows swords suit her far more anyways :D**

 **Titania of Fairies: Thank you so much! Please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **xxjaelee:** **I'm so sorry it took so long!** **I hope you're still interested xD**

 **w0tever: Hello! About Shakespeare, my mistake lol I didn't even know why I thought it was Old English. I've fixed that now, thank you for letting me know! ^^**

 **FuryJoe: Thank you so much! ^^**

 **AnimeLover229: Aww, thank you so much! :D**

 **CM200415: I'm so sorry it took so long, hope you're still here! :)**

 **Blueowl: Omg, thank you so much for such high praise! Yes, I want my characters to have flaws so they can feel realistic and relatable enough. This is especially double for Hela because she's the main character and a self-insert to boot. And we'll see about Fenris becoming a real friend soon. Thank you for reading and please stay tuned! :D**

 **Ashliyn: Oh my god, I am _blushing_! Really! Thank you sooo much for that super amazing review! Honestly, I really like dramatic reviews lol because it really shows that you appreciate what I wrote enough for the reaction to be like that xD I really like adding original content and inventing all kinds of scenes so I'm so glad you're liking what I wrote so far! Thank you again and please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **SR. UKI: Thank you for thinking so! :D**

 **saashi samy: Now there's a thought. A jealous Odin could be dangerous though so we'll see xD And having Hela commission the Dwarves to make weapons for her brothers is a very interesting idea! It will be a sort of bonding time between siblings so in that way, no one gets left behind. Believe it or not, Odin actually loves Hela, he's just terrible at showing it because he's too much of a warmonger at the moment xD And the image of Hela taking care of Fenris like a true pet, bathing her and brushing her fur is such a glorious mental image. Those are all good ideas actually, so I'll think about it. Also, I'm glad you're comfortable reviewing with your native language, foreign readers are always welcome! (I can always use Google Translate lol). Thank you very much and please stay tuned!**

 **Guest 2: I'm glad you're liking Hela's character so far! :)**

 **serialkeller: Yes, she _does_ care. She's just feeling spiteful for the moment. Didn't you have those moments with your parents when you're annoyed with them because they just don't get you? That's kind of what she's feeling right now. She just wanted to prove herself.**

 **Angel Rios: I'm sorry you think that way. I realize that she's acting too antisocial and spoiled because of your review so I went back and fixed it. Please feel free to check it out! She still doesn't like Herryk, but she's not being spoiled about it anymore. I hope that's better :)**

 **Muddykat: That it does xD Thank you for the review!**

 **A little fart: Thank you so much for sharing your insights about the chapter and Hela in general. That's exactly how I want to portray her. She's a compassionate, merciful and caring person with a strong will of her own. She doesn't think killing is fun, but she WILL do it if the situation requires it. She doesn't want to start a war but Odin is stubborn and a warmonger still. He's not yet the benevolent king we saw in the movies, and that just makes Hela's position harder, since she needs to support the king as her position requires it. And I will do chapters that will let us see Hela from the perspective of the people around her once things settle down. We certainly need a break from Hela's point of view. Thank you so much for the review and please stay tuned! ^^**

 **The Queen of All Demons: Thank you so much for such amazing reviews! I'm glad you're loving the story and Hela's character so far. We're still a long ways off Thor and Loki's timeline since we still have the war between the 9 Realms to worry about but we'll get to that soon, I promise. Hela being a mother to little Thor and Loki is certainly a really nice image. Also, I don't want Hela to easily succeed in everything she set out to do. I want to show you readers that she's not perfect; she has flaws and will make mistakes, but she'll always find a way to overcome them. And lastly, Mjolnir sure is a plot twist, but if you can recall, Hela actually IS the original wielder of Mjolnir in the MCU, so not really a surprise xD Thank you so much for your understanding, I'm so sorry this took so long. Please stay tuned and review! ^^**

 **GliderPilot: Yes, of course she is. But the thing is, it's way too early for her to be taught those things, especially Asgardian babies. They probably learn to read and write when they're about 50 years old (kidding, but it's true that Asgardian ages are different) Hela requested she learn how to read and write _way early_ , so Odin and Frigga are naturally surprised. After all, children her age usually just wants to play and not worry about those things yet. Hope that helps. Thank you for reading and reviewing! ^^**

* * *

 **Phew, that's long! But let me just say it's completely unbelievable how many reviews the last chapter got. Seems like you're all excited to see Fenris xD I hope you guys are still here because we're still just beginning with the real story.**

 **Again, thank you so much for all your reviews! Please feel free to keep sharing your thoughts, predictions, and suggestions!**

 **P.S. I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**


	9. On the Other Side of Peace

**A/N: I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**

 **I apologize again for the long wait and the cliffhanger xD Without further ado, here is the next chapter!**

 **P.S. I have a Tumblr (darkdreamymuse) in case you guys want to follow me or if you just want to talk. I'm more active there and I promise I don't bite lol. I'll probably post some TGoD content there once I get everything sorted out. See you! ^^**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine:**

 **On the Other Side of Peace**

* * *

Hela rummaged idly around her closet, keeping a trained ear out for any unusual sounds. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing straight up, and she started breathing deeply to calm herself.

There! An almost inaudible step sounded and Hela's gaze sharpened. She whirled around, conjuring a sword along the way just in time to block the dagger that swung inches towards her throat. "An assassin," She gritted her teeth as the wielder pressed their attack, "How very original."

The assassin was covered head to toe in black, their face covered so excellently she struggled to see if it was a man or a woman. Its figure was broad and stocky though, so she wagered it was a man. She brought up a foot to kick, but the assassin suddenly jumped out of the way. "I feel compelled to ask who sent you, but then again, no one really answers that question, do they?"

Thrown knives were his only answer, and Hela quickly ducked her head. It struck the mirror behind her and smashed it, raining shards around the two of them. "I don't really know anyone who wants to kill me though." She continued musing aloud, "By the way, that's my favorite mirror. You're gonna have to replace that." She hid a grin and noted how the assassin narrowed their eyes in irritation.

Prone to anger then. She could work with that.

The assassin suddenly lunged forward with their dagger, which Hela quickly met and parried. She couldn't say she wasn't nervous a bit, especially since this person was actively trying to kill her, but after facing a twenty foot tall beast, this honestly paled in comparison to the terror she felt back then.

She swung her sword in a wide arc, and the assassin quickly leapt back and landed on her bed. She frowned heavily when his boots left visible dirt and stains on the pristine sheets, and decided enough was enough.

She flicked a hand in their direction and the assassin's mask promptly caught on fire.

Using seidr might seem a bit like cheating in a fight to most, but it was never really a fair fight in the first place when he decided to sneak into her room and attack her from behind.

"Do you want to continue fighting?" Hela stared him down wearily. "Because if so, I'm just going to burn your clothes until you're left with nothing."

She's tired, she's cranky, and she's just about done with everyone's bullshit. A bed sounded nice, and he just stepped all over it.

She just wants this to be over and sleep until morning.

To her surprise, the man just waved a hand and the flames immediately went out. He then held out his hands in front of him, and Hela swore and ran as multiple daggers formed from his silver-colored seidr in midair before streaking through the air towards her. She hurriedly vaulted over her couch and crouched behind it as the daggers embedded themselves on the thick wood, sending splinters and chunks of wood in the air.

A seidmadr! That complicates things.

She waited until the barrage stopped before quickly conjuring her own to retaliate, watching as the assassin just nimbly leapt out of the way of her daggers. He conjured a few more and she blocked those, before realizing too late that it was a distraction.

The assassin tackled her bodily from the side, knocking the wind out of her and making them crash into the closet. He tried to grip her wrists and pin her to the ground, but she immediately brought her legs beneath his body and kicked him in the gut, effectively dislodging him. He landed on his backside with a grunt, but Hela didn't give him time to recover and quickly held out a hand, the now familiar feeling of Mjolnir's handle smacking into her palm.

"A good attempt," She smirked, "My turn."

The assassin only had time for his eyes to widen before the hammer came hurtling through the air and slammed into his chest, effectively crushing some of his ribs from the impact. He screamed and wheezed, but Hela only approached him calmly, green eyes narrowed. She planted an unyielding foot on his already injured chest, and he screamed again as his ribs further cracked under the pressure. She wasn't overly concerned though, since broken ribs weren't enough to kill an Asgardian or whatever race he was. She leaned over him, "Again, who sent you?"

Predictably, he only spat blood at her feet in defiance. Footsteps then thundered in the halls and the guards began spilling inside the room. They briefly stared in astonishment at the wheezing man pinned to the floor before the Captain of the Guard gestured and they began restraining him.

"Princess! Are you alright?" The Captain of the Guard, who she recognized as Ingvar, the guard who always greeted her with a smile and a wave whenever she passed him in the halls, asked worriedly before quickly calling for aid. "Get me Healer Eir immediately!"

"I am fine." She protested, but a guard still went running off to get the healer. She sighed before looking to the downed man, who looked completely terrified of the events as he was manhandled and forced to stand. "Take him away; I'll speak with him later."

"Your Highness, I deeply apologize for this incident." Ingvar knelt and bowed his head before her, guilt radiating off him in waves. "I swear to you it will not happen again. Please, punish me as you see fit!"

"No need for that." She told him honestly, "I handled the situation just fine, no harm done."

He quickly shook his head, expression dejected. "Even so–!"

Fortunately, his self-guilt was quickly cut off by the sound of Healer Eir suddenly sweeping into the room, clear blue eyes immediately fixing on Hela like a moth attracted to flame. "Move!" She barked to a stray guard who immediately jumped out of her way. She then knelt beside her and gently examined her with sharp eyes, and Hela barely suppressed a shudder at her intense scrutiny. She suddenly got the feeling as if she was being x-rayed or something.

After a long moment, Eir finally settled back and relaxed. "Just bruises, nothing serious. You called me here for bruises?! I have patients in critical conditions!" The last part was directed at Ingvar, who winced. Hela only laughed awkwardly, no wonder everyone was afraid of the Healer; her sharp eyes and equally sharp tongue can probably make a grown man cower in fear.

Suddenly a loud gasp and a sob was heard and everyone stiffened. A guard yelled something, and Hela and the others quickly turned to find Astrid, the old servant she saw in the courtyard earlier being led to the main room by a guard, her cheek bruised and her hair and clothes disheveled. Hela instantly felt numb. "What happened?"

"We found her restrained and unconscious in one of the side rooms, Your Highness." The guard informed her, and Hela's eyes went wide.

Astrid sobbed and bowed shakily, and Hela quickly rushed to get down from her position and stop her. Eir protested loudly but Hela ignored it, quickly assessing the old woman's condition. She could only sob, "Y-Your Highness, I am so sorry I could not stop him! I b-beg of you, please punish me!"

"Astrid, no." She brushed a few strands back from her face gently, "It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself." She had to fight to keep her hand from forming a trembling fist. "You did the best you could, and that's all I could really ask."

The old servant shook her head violently, "No, it was my fault! I couldn't warn you nor the Gatekeeper in time. Please just punish me!"

Hela sighed before placing a gentle hand on her bruised cheek, and Astrid winced. "I think that's more than enough punishment, wouldn't you agree?" She said softly. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me."

Again, the old servant violently shook her head, and Hela feared she would get whiplash. "No! Please do not say that! It was definitely not your fault, Your Highness!"

She smiled wryly, "I feel that this discussion may never end, so let us just forget this ever happened, all right?"

Astrid stared wide-eyed at her, but before she could respond, footsteps suddenly sounded outside and the King and Queen burst into the room, Odin's face twisted in rage. "Where. Is. He?"

What was this, gather in Hela's room day? The only ones missing were Tyrkir, Ornulf, and the whole damn Realm.

Everyone quickly froze, Hela included, as the pure power and fury in his voice reverberated around the room. His ominous aura seemed almost palpable then, and she could see the guards beginning to sweat and tremble in fear. Poor Astrid practically cowered behind her. She couldn't exactly blame them though, since she's terrified herself.

To everyone's relief, Frigga then stepped forward and broke the tension, pulling her shocked daughter into a hug. She instantly returned the hug before turning her attention on the proceedings as the guards began recounting the situation to their King.

When they got to the part where the assassin was found on the floor and with broken ribs, Odin's gaze turned to Mjolnir, which was still in her hand the whole time.

The guards finally finished, and Odin appraised her for a moment, gaze hardening at her disheveled form, before storming out again wordlessly and heading directly towards the prison.

Hela stared after him before sighing. Well, what did she expect? Hugs and kisses? Odin would die first before he's caught doing that red-handed.

"So I take it Heimdall got my message?" She glanced up at Frigga, who still looked worried.

"He informed us as soon as he received it." She confirmed, before letting out a shaky breath. "I am very glad you trained for this back then. I fear for your life if you didn't."

The Princess tilted her head slightly, "I've somewhat known this would happen. It was why I asked for training in the first place."

However, it seemed the wrong thing to say when Frigga suddenly looked pained. "You shouldn't have had to worry about those things back then. How much have we wronged you, to make you feel unsafe in your own home?"

"Mother, no." Why did she come to that conclusion? "That's not the entire reason; I genuinely want to learn combat and how to defend myself." She tried to make her gaze earnest enough, "Besides, it turned out for the best, didn't it?"

The Queen sighed inaudibly before nodding, "I suppose you are right."

"Your Highnesses," A guard suddenly ran up to them and saluted. "The King is currently interrogating the prisoner and requests your presence."

Hela inclined her head, "Understood."

 **…**

Hela was very thankful for her Asgardian body for their rapid healing abilities, because the bruises disappeared after just a few minutes and she felt good as new again. Mother and daughter then headed down to the dungeons and immediately found Odin bearing down on the maskless man on his knees. Hela didn't recognize him, which was a relief. The last thing she needed was to ruin the future because one of the side characters suddenly decided to murder her. That's just her luck.

She felt for him though, especially when Odin began projecting a murderous aura that made him seem so intimidating and dangerous, even Hela couldn't suppress a shiver at the sight. "I wonder," The King began softly, gaze focused on him and him alone. "how much Vanaheim paid you to do this. And how much of a fool you were to accept this job."

Hela's eyes widened, before glancing furtively up at her mother who looked impassive. Her hands were clenched into fists though, and it must hurt her to know her own realm wanted to have her daughter killed.

Still, Vanaheim ordered an assassin to kill her. What did she even do to them?

The man jolted in surprise at the allegation before glaring up at the King in defiance. He spat blood at his feet, "Vanaheim didn't pay me to do drit!"

Odin's face suddenly twisted and he thundered, "You dare–?!"

Mesmerized with fear, Hela watched as the interrogation continued, seeing with her own eyes how dangerous and ruthless Odin really was to his enemies. A simple slam of Gungnir and the defiant assassin's head was slammed into the stones at his feet. He cried out before Odin angrily lifted his spear and blasted the man off the floor and into the wall, making him scream and his already broken ribs to worsen.

She must've made a noise, because Odin immediately glanced at her before smiling. Hela instantly felt cold at the sight. "Come here, my daughter."

She tried her best to hold her head high as she approached, but the sheer power and intensity of Odin's aura made her feel like she should slump her shoulders meekly. "Yes, Father?"

He nodded to the trembling man in the cell. "Kill him."

Her stomach dropped at the sudden command and she choked, "W-What?"

To her disbelief, Odin just stared at her impatiently. "Kill him." He repeated. "He snuck into your rooms and tried to have your head. Surely you do not intend to let him live?"

Hela almost took a step back in shock, "But Father," She began, mind rapidly working to get out of this mess. She doesn't want to just go and kill someone! She couldn't! "I-I hardly think this is fair, he's imprisoned and weakened."

He raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "Likewise, I hardly think it was 'fair' of him to go into your rooms and attempt to assassinate you." He turned fully towards her and nodded his head at the slumped figure of the man who was watching them with fear in his eyes. "Vanaheim has been our ally for a hundred years. That ends now. As its Princess, show him how Asgard deals with traitorous filth."

Damn it! Hela frantically looked to her mother to help her, but Frigga looked furious at the man too. Running out of options, she glanced at the man still on the floor and was taken aback by the sheer hate in his eyes. Why did he hate her so? What did she even do to him? To Vanaheim?

Whatever it was, it must have been truly terrible for him to risk coming all the way here just to kill her. But even so, she couldn't just execute him. Animals were different; she couldn't just take a human life!

Some Goddess of Death she was. She almost scoffed internally.

To her dismay, Odin noticed her hesitation and glared at her. "Kill him. I will not ask again."

Clenching her fists, Hela closed her eyes before inclining her head, even as her heart thudded painfully in her chest at the action she was about to take. She had to remember that she's in a different world now. Earth's laws don't apply here. If someone wronged you, you were legally bound to take vengeance however you see fit. Killing was unfortunately an acceptable course of action in situations like this, and for the first time, she absolutely hated the position she held. "As you wish."

The guards let her in the cell and she quickly summoned a sword with her seidr. She could've just summoned flames and let him suffer as long as she could. No doubt that's what Odin actually wanted. Unluckily for him, Hela just wanted to give him a quick death. She gazed down at him sadly, and didn't even mind when he also spat at her feet. "I don't know why you hate me so, but you brought this upon yourself." She leveled the sword at his throat. "Any last words?" She asked softly.

To her surprise, he just gave them a deranged grin. "You are a curse, girl. It was foreseen, you were never meant to be here."

Hela froze and felt her heart stop for a moment, "What?"

He wheezed and laughed breathlessly, as if all this was extremely funny to him. "It was foreseen! A child of a Vanir and Aesir will bring the end to us all! What choice do we have but to remove the threat?"

Odin suddenly stepped forward, his face the epitome of rage. "What nonsense are you talking about?" He demanded, "Your thoughts says nothing of this claim."

The man only grinned and said nothing.

Meanwhile, Hela's thoughts were whirling rapidly. Who foresaw this? The child of a Vanir and Aesir will bring the end? If so, she couldn't blame him then for trying to kill her, she would want to eliminate the threat too. "Who foresaw this?" She demanded aloud.

His answer caused all the Asgardians behind her to freeze and her to stare in confusion. "Mimir the Wise."

Frigga gasped and Odin looked visibly taken aback. A first for him. Hela just tried thinking back on what she knew about Norse Mythology, but came up with a blank. Who's Mimir?

"Kill him. Now." Odin's voice sounded soft but it was layered with a fury so controlled it almost gave an echo of power. Hela hastened to obey and swung the sword, steadfastly not looking as the man's head rolled on the floor and his body slumped.

Without another word, Odin left the dungeon and the guards started entering the cell to dispose of the body. Hela was left trembling in the middle of it all before being swept up in Frigga's arms. "Go back to your room and rest, my sweet. We will explain later."

Hela could only nod before she was escorted back at Frigga's command, determinedly not looking at the lifeless body being carried out of the cell or she's going to throw up. She did that with her own hands, and it felt absolutely sickening.

… Fuck.

…

Hela did her best not to stare into space and pay attention to Vor but it was hard. It had been exactly two days since the incident and she still hadn't heard a word from either of her parents about 'Mimir the Wise.' She knew he's like a prophet, if the assassin's claim that he foresaw something was true. But that's about it.

Speaking of that, the grave prophecy kept circling around her head, and she can't help but be anxious of its implications. The child of a Vanir and Aesir will bring the end? Everyone in that cell heard it, and she's aware rumors had already spread, especially because it implied she'll be the cause of certain destruction.

Fate really hates her, it seems.

"It is not normal for you to lose concentration like this," Vor suddenly said and Hela jumped in surprise. Her instructor's eyebrows rose steadily at the reaction, "What is the matter?"

She shifted in her seat guiltily, knowing she didn't pay attention to the entire lesson. If Vor even asked one question about it, she's doomed.

But wait, since Vor knows almost everything, then she must know about Mimir the Wise!

"Actually Lady Vor, can you help me with something?" Hela tried smiling sweetly, but Vor's gaze only sharpened at the sight.

"What is it?" She asked warily.

Hela shrugged, "I was hoping if you could tell me something about Mimir the Wise? Anything at all."

"Why do you want to know?" She asked slowly.

"B-Because it's related to the attacks two days ago…" She almost muttered. That particular incident spread throughout Asgard like wildfire. Why wouldn't it, when the topic was the Princess of Asgard almost being assassinated in her own home? By a Vanir, no less. The assassin made Asgard's defenses a joke, and it caused a whole lot of embarrassment for Odin.

She doesn't even want to know what he thinks of such rumors.

To Hela's relief, Frigga had the presence of mine to threaten all the witnesses to speak nothing about the prophecy and its terrifying insinuations. After all, it wouldn't do to have all of Asgard's citizens afraid of their own Princess. It seemed the guards kept their word, because no one had mentioned it yet.

At the mention of the attack, Vor's gaze visibly softened and she cleared her throat. "The fact that you say Mimir was related to the attack suggested that he was somehow behind it. Is that correct?"

"Not really?" Hela sighed, "To be honest, there's something I haven't told you. The assassin mentioned Mimir the Wise said something odd that almost sounded like a prophecy." At this, Vor stiffened. "I was just wondering who he is?"

"Tell me." Vor's tone brooked no argument.

Typical Vor, always curious and no-nonsense.

"He basically said the child of a Vanir and Aesir will bring about the end of things." And that I was never meant to be here, but she doesn't need to know that.

"And then he decided to just assassinate you?" Vor raised an eyebrow, "You are but one of the many children with Vanir-Aesir blood. Countless people fit that description. It is not exactly an uncommon occurrence."

"But not a lot of people have the King and Queen of Asgard as parents." Hela pointed out, "I guess if I was the assassin, I would go for the child with the most influence too."

"That is also true." Her instructor fixed her with an unreadable gaze. "It is a good thing you know how to defend yourself, but you must also remain vigilant. You cannot allow such a thing to happen again."

"Of course. I do not intend to die," She suddenly grinned, "…Not yet at least."

Vor stared in slight puzzlement, but Hela waved it off. "So now that you know, I want to ask who is he exactly?"

The instructor hummed in thought, "It would make sense you do not know of him, since he left before your time." Vor glanced at her, as if deciding how much she should say. Hela only smiled innocently. She sighed, "Mimir the Wise is Odin's past adviser and counselor. He is an exceptionally wise being who always has an answer to everything." Vor smiled a bit, "He has also occasionally foretold prophecies and events he has Seen through visions. To my knowledge, he is the only known seer amongst the Aesir."

A seer! Hela frowned in thought. That certainly explains things, but if someone knows she doesn't actually belong here, then what would that bode for her?

Vor's eyes suddenly turned melancholy, "Then the war between Asgard and Vanaheim happened. Mimir tried his best to give military advice to Odin, but both sides remained at a stalemate."

"How come?" Hela asked, "Wait, let me guess. Asgard's warriors and Vanaheim's seidmadr are evenly matched."

Vor inclined her head in acquiescence. "Indeed. Contrary to popular belief, the Vanir are extremely skilled warriors that can utilize both hand-to-hand combat and seidr in battle. They can easily match Asgard's best, and that was exactly what happened in that war.

Eventually, the fighting went on for so long that an agreement for a ceasefire came, where it was decided by both parties that the only way to stop the war was if they exchanged hostages so neither side can attack the other secretly. Vanaheim sent Freyja, Freyr and Njord to Asgard, and Asgard sent Hoenir and Mimir the Wise in exchange." Vor clenched her fists, "It has been a hundred years, and we have not heard word from them ever since."

Hela went silent as Vor got lost in her thoughts. She was willing to bet Mimir was a friend of hers. Poor Vor though, she never got the chance to talk to him again. Hela's eyes softened and she opened her mouth to comfort her, but before she could, a sharp knock sounded on the doors. "What is it?" Her instructor called out.

The door opened and a servant appeared, head bowed respectfully. "Good afternoon, Your Highness. A missive from His Majesty, The King."

Hela tensed in surprise and accepted said letter, vaguely noticing the servant leaving and Vor staring at her intently as she opened it. "The King is summoning me to today's meeting." Her brows furrowed in confusion. "My father has never invited me to attend meetings before."

"This is rare, indeed." Vor voiced what was practically her thoughts, her wise eyes narrowed in thought. "Something must be happening that Odin wants you to know about." She nodded, "Our lesson is adjourned. Go on, and do not keep him waiting."

Hela almost groaned. She didn't even get to ask Vor any further about Mimir yet! However, needs must. "Understood."

 **…**

Hela hurriedly strode through the halls, not knowing if she was feeling excited or nervous. She's going to be attending her first meeting with the rest of Asgard's royal court. What could be the reason she was summoned now? Has the war already started? Did someone invade the Realm? Is the economy unstable? She was absolutely dying to know–

Hela grunted in pain as a blur suddenly knocked into her with such force that she fell promptly on her backside. At the same time, someone cried in surprise and collapsed beside her with a mighty thud! that she actually winced in sympathy.

"I am so sorry!" A familiar voice cried out, and Hela found herself blinking at Tyrkir's pale face. A bruise was already forming on his forehead, but it looked like he didn't even notice as he began panicking. "Oh no, Princess Hela?!" To Hela's fascination, his face seemed to turn even paler.

"Calm down, Tyrkir!" To her disbelief, he only seemed to become more visibly distressed. "I'm fine! I am not hurt, see?" She quickly stood and offered him a hand.

Tyrkir didn't look like he believed her, but he gradually relaxed.

"Let's just forget that happened." Hela smiled sheepishly at him, "Now, why exactly are you running like the devil's right at your heels?"

"D-Devil?" Tyrkir repeated in confusion, and Hela resisted the urge to smack her forehead. Right, idioms don't really work here. "Never mind that, just answer the question."

"I was supposed to meet with my father at a meeting, but Ornulf wanted to show me something and I did not realize I was already running late." He let the words out in such a rush, his face reddening in embarrassment.

"Meeting?" Hela stiffened in realization, "You wouldn't happen to mean the meeting with the King?"

Tyrkir furrowed his brows, "My father did mention that King Odin is going to be there."

"Shit." Hela hissed. Tyrkir automatically shot her one of the scandalized glances he probably reserves for Ornulf, before immediately flushing as he realized who he was sending it to. Hela ignored him. "Great, my first meeting, and I'm already late. Wonderful. My father must think highly of me now, I'm sure." She stopped, "But wait, he was the one who sent the invite just now, so technically, I'm not late."

"Uhh… that's good to know?" Tyrkir said in confusion. "I am the one who's late, though."

"We can go together." Hela immediately grabbed the opportunity. "Thank goodness, now I at least know someone in there." She started to drag him with her, but paused as she noticed something. "Wait, you can't go to the meeting looking like that."

"Like what?" He asked nervously, but Hela ignored him as she began waving her fingers in front of the reddening bruise on his forehead. She has never been good with illusions, but surely, she could do something as simple as concealing.

Green seidr materialized in her hands, and the bruise was immediately covered by an illusion of perfect and unmarred skin. Hela immediately felt awe and pride; she suspects she will probably continue to feel like that every time she uses magic. Even now, the thought of using magic was still completely unbelievable. "Just don't touch it, and you'll be good to go."

Tyrkir visibly looked like he wanted to touch his forehead, but restrained himself. "Thank you, Princess."

"Hela," She reminded and he actually laughed a bit, "I told you to call me Hela."

"Hela…" He smiled hesitantly, and she beamed so wide her cheeks hurt.

"Excellent! Now lead the way, Tyrkir!"

He huffed in amusement at her enthusiasm and dutifully proceeded to lead her to the large double doors of the meeting chamber. "Why are you allowed to attend meetings like these anyway?" She asked curiously.

Tyrkir immediately scratched his head in embarrassment. "My father asked me if I was interested, and I agreed. I discovered pretty early on that I like attending meetings more than training. You saw why. I'm not skilled enough for battle."

But you were probably skilled enough for politics. Hela almost smiled. Sorry, but you're not yet subtle enough, Tyrkir.

Everyone knows that no child was permitted into meetings unless they were invited to be there. Minister Vifil probably wanted to train Tyrkir to become the next Minister of Law, and Tyrkir likely knew this as well. However, uttering that in front of others will cause so many problems, especially because nepotism was generally frowned upon.

"You said this was your first meeting?" Hela nodded. "The first thing you need to know is that you should address the King first and apologize for your tardiness. But since you are his daughter, I am assuming he will let you go easily."

Hela almost laughed at that, "Not exactly."

Tyrkir glanced at her curiously, and she waved him off. "Time to face the music, I suppose."

He quirked a smile. "You say the strangest things, Princess."

"Not the first time I've heard that one. Though usually, I am also called antisocial, reserved, and cold."

He immediately looked like he regretted saying that, but Hela shot him a playful grin to show that she was joking. "However, I think I like 'strange' better."

Tyrkir relaxed at that, and Hela barely restrained herself from laughing. Honestly, he gets so worked up and flustered sometimes. Hela made a mental note to help him with that problem in the future. Not until she's done teasing him about it, of course. It's fun to see his face turn all shades of red.

With that, Tyrkir nodded to the guards and they watched as the doors were pulled open, revealing the chamber in all its glory.

Hela barely remembered to keep herself from freezing in place as the eyes of all of Asgard's ministers, politicians, the court, and the King and Queen focused on her. She felt Tyrkir begin to salute and kneel and tried to copy his movements as gracefully as she could. Though judging by Frigga's amused gaze, she only did a passable job at it.

She steeled herself and proceeded to meet Odin's eyes head-on. "We deeply apologize for the delay, my King."

She could barely believe Odin was really her father at that moment. Clad in golden robes, his immense power almost humming in the air, and with Gungnir in his hand, he just seemed so regal, majestic, and intimidating. "My daughter," He began, and Hela could only swallow nervously. He looked furious by something, and was visibly trying not to take it out on her. "It is good to know that you are actually planning on arriving today."

She could just imagine how much sarcasm dripped into that statement. They both know he was the one who only just remembered to invite her. "Again, I apologize, Your Highness. It will not happen again."

Odin only stared at her a few seconds more before dismissing her, and Hela fought the urge to bristle. "See that it won't."

With that, Hela took her seat near the end of the table opposite from her Father's end, and Tyrkir sat himself next to her and Minister Vifil, who just looked impassive.

"Now that the Princess has deigned to join us, it is time we move on to the purpose of this meeting."

Hela immediately straightened up in interest, her eyes trained on her father who signaled sharply for the Asgard's famous general to rise.

Immediately, Tyrkir straightened as well. "That's General Tyr!" He hissed. "I heard he's one of the best warriors in Asgard, second only to Odin himself!"

Hela nodded excitedly too. She also heard that, and more. General Tyr has been considered as strict during training and battles but kind and patient outside it. It was one of the reasons why Hela wanted to learn from him instead of Commander Herryk.

Another thing was that General Tyr was not stationed in the palace, which was why seeing him was always a rare sight.

The first thing she noticed was his size. He easily towers over everyone in the room when he stood. The man looked like a virtual image of the strongest and largest viking you could possibly imagine; a figure of immense strength that showed in each corded muscle and broad frame. He's wearing full body armor that looked extremely uncomfortable to Hela, but the general looked at home with it on. He carefully removed his round helmet which revealed black hair and a full beard before settling it down on the table with a dull 'thump'!

Nevertheless, what caught Hela's attention the most was the glint of the golden ornamental prosthetic where his left hand was supposed to be.

The hand that was swallowed by the very Wolf that was currently roaming the palace grounds.

Hela made a mental note to let Fenris know the general was around, or vice versa. It wouldn't do for the general to lose his right hand as well.

"I will just get to the point," Tyr said brusquely. "My spies report Vanaheim is claiming that they had been cheated in the exchange of hostages during the past Aesir-Vanir war. They said one of the hostages is a 'witless fool who had tricked them for a long time by giving unwise counsel." He narrowed his eyes in anger, "They had beheaded Mimir the Wise due to this belief and sent back his head. Attempts to negotiate has been disregarded. It seems they are willing to go to battle for this."

Hela's eyes immediately widened. This was to be the topic of her first meeting? If it weren't for her already mature mind, she would be terribly worried for the original young Hela who had probably gone into this unawares. Also, Mimir was _dead_?! And they beheaded him just because he gave faulty advice? Then what of his prophecy regarding her, was that faulty too?

"Mimir gave unwise counsel?" One of the Ministers said in disbelief. "Mimir? He was called 'the Wise' for a reason, General. Are you certain this was what the Vanir said?"

General Tyr visibly looked insulted at the insinuation that he heard wrong. "As certain as I am that the sky is blue, Minister." He said slowly, as if the Minister was an idiot.

"What of Hoenir?" Minister Vifil asked.

The General only shook his head, "There was no word from him."

Everyone fell silent at the information and Hela quickly looked to her parents. Frigga remained completely stoic, betraying no sign of worry or fear. Odin, on the other hand, only looked even more furious at the reminder, "The terms are clear, and we have honored them. What more are they demanding?"

"Another exchange of hostages, Your Highness." Tyr scowled, "A pretty low reason to declare war over, in my opinion. However, they cannot be swayed."

"Cheating?" A Minister angrily said. "We took great care of the Vanir hostages they sent us. Freyr and his father Njord we even let free to live their lives in Alfheim. And in exchange, they sent us Mimir's head?!"

A chorus of furious yells and declarations of war filled the room, and Hela shrank back on her seat. Tyrkir also looked wide-eyed at the scene.

Odin suddenly slammed Gungnir on the dais and everyone promptly fell silent. "Vanaheim sent an assassin to kill my daughter," He whispered softly, but it still carried throughout the whole room. "if Hela was not trained, they would have succeeded. Then I lost my trusted adviser after they claimed Mimir is a fool and beheaded him, and now they want war?" He slowly stood, and Hela froze in her seat in alarm. "Vanaheim violated the agreement and almost committed regicide. There will be no more attempts to negotiate because nothing can excuse their actions." His gaze hardened, "The truce ends now."

The table was banged on repeatedly as bloodthirsty cries and shouts for vengeance filled the room after Odin practically declared war. In the resulting chaos, Hela could only meet Tyrkir's terrified gaze across the table with her own.

This was no ordinary meeting; this was a war council. A war was truly going to happen, and she might just be caught right in the middle of it.

Gods help them.

...

 **The war that Vor mentioned here is the Aesir-Vanir war. You can find more details here: /tales/the-aesir-vanir-war/**

 **P.S. I edited chapters 1 and 2 because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you for reading and please comment! ^^**

* * *

 **Review Replies:**

 **sinner123: Thank you! Here is the next chapter, hope you enjoyed! ^^**

 **mk0008: I personally like writing cliffhangers lol but I know what it feels like to read and encounter that. xD**

 **FuryJoe: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D**

 **frankieu: At this point in time, there are no spells placed upon Mjolnir. It's just an incredibly powerful hammer at the moment, no lightning because that's Thor's power, not Mjolnir's power. It only gained the spells and the worthiness clause because of Thor's recklessness in the first film. Hope that helps! ^^**

 **Imperial Guard: I will certainly make bonus chapters sometime in the future, but no instance of breaking the fourth wall like in an omake xD Hela reincarnated, but it doesn't mean she knows she's inside a story lol.**

 **serus black antihumannature: I haven't read the comics, I only really know the movies and some information about Norse myths so I'm not really familiar with what you mentioned xD maybe if I have the time, I'll check them out, but for the moment, I'll probably be focusing on the MCU and Norse Mythology. Thank you for the suggestions though! ^^**

 **Girl-luvs-manga: I can guarantee that she'll definitely do that soon xD**

 **Death Fury: Thank you so much! ^^**

 **SAJones: Will do! xD Thank you so much and please stay tuned for more!**

 **ReadLikeHermione: Thank you! ^^**

 **Silvermane1: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)**

 **DannyPhantom619: I can see why you think that lol she's collecting creatures and powerful objects left and right xD**

 **SR. UKI: THANK YOU SO MUCH! 3**

 **TheLizardKing28: Thank you so much! As for the 2000 year gap, I will probably be doing several small skips. I believe huge time skips are jarring for the reader because next thing they knew, Hela will have suddenly improved or matured and we don't even know how she got to that point xD We'll get to canon slowly but surely, my friends. ^^**

 **Zaralann: I love suggestions! Also, both of your suggestions sounded very good! Suggestion #1 is something I'm definitely thinking of doing. I won't let canon play out the same, so there will likely be many changes once we get there, so please stay tuned! :D As for suggestion #2, I am actually considering if I will give Hela death powers so she'll still be known as the Goddess of Death or as you said, let her become the Goddess of something else entirely. I actually really love your idea! I'll definitely consider it! Thank you again and please keep 'em coming! 3**

 **ShotoGun: It's more than alive lol, I'm just really bad and slow at updating xD but I promise it won't be abandoned.**

 **Love Stories00: Omg, I'm so glad you liked it and Hela's personality! Thank you so much! And yes, this story can go _anywhere_ and I'm actually going crazy trying to think of what could be the best path for it. I am definitely open to suggestions! ^^**

 **Stormbringer117: It's not really dead, more like a very long hiatus lol xD Kidding aside, thank you so much!**

 **OrionRigel: That's definitely a unique idea lol but sad to say, Lucas is _not_ Loki in disguise. He's just a normal guy xD **

**Littlecosma001: Thank you so much! Yes, I've always thought that Mjolnir is kinda sentient, mostly because I'm just sad it got destroyed by original Hela :( But giving it the ability to speak would be very cliche so I just resorted to humming. As you now know, Fenris didn't rescue Hela, (but it would certainly be a sight to see) Instead, our main girl handled it by herself :D Also, Hela really cares about her friendship with Tyrkir and Ornulf, so she won't let a silly thing like status get in her way lol lastly, Lucas will definitely keep things interesting soon ;) Thank you again and please stay tuned!**

 **Maira: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you liked the chapter. I didn't even know I improved lol but if you said so, then I believe it xD Again, thank you so much and please stay tuned for more!**

 **Magic'sKey: Thank you so much! ^^**

 **Blackholelord: Please don't forget about this story! I've just had really horrible writer's block :( Please stay tuned for more! ^^**

 **Alucard1992: Thank you so much! 3**

 **Crazysister101: Thank you so much! Yes, I think I exaggerated Tyrkir's reaction at some point. I actually edited it, you can check it out if you want xD And about Lucas, he's not a time-traveling Loki lol but for the rest, we'll see ;) Also, what you said is very true. Hela hasn't even reached her full potential yet, since she's still practically a teenager in Earth years. There are several beings who can defeat her at this point Thank you again and please stay tuned! ^^**

 **sharingankakashi007: You're right, as reluctant as Hela is to accept Mjolnir, it's gonna be a great help to her. Also, I will definitely be changing canon, no doubt about that. Odin and Hela's relationship is steadily getting worse, but I swear Odin's trying to be a good parent. He just doesn't have the idea right lol. Thank you and please stay tuned! ^^**

 **The Queen of All Demons: I will always appreciate every one of you guys' reviews. You're all very special to me. I will always try my best to respond, don't you worry. 3 And yes, many people have pointed the tense mistake out to me and I'm always trying my best to improve. A beta reader would be lovely, but I don't really know how to get one :( English is not my first language so I'm kinda having a hard time xD Thank you so much for your kind words and support! Please stay tuned for more and if you have any suggestions, don't hesitate to voice them out! ^^**

 **SuperiorFreak: Hey, you're right and I can't believe I didn't notice it immediately. Hela should be tougher and more durable than that lol so I went back and edited it. You can go check it out if you want :D Thank you for telling me! ^^**

 **Arcane Charmcaster: I hope you know that you are very correct lol am I really _that_ predictable? xD Kidding, but really, great prediction! **

**tylermech66: Thank you so much! I certainly don't mind long reviews. In fact, I love them! :D Also, Hela knows Mjolnir is for Thor. She can't really imagine it as hers, so she's definitely not gonna keep it. Your idea for a greatsword as her weapon is actually pretty nice! And your idea about Hela's title changing is something I've also thought about. I am actually considering if I will give Hela death powers so she'll still be known as the Goddess of Death or as you said, let her become the Goddess of something else entirely. What do you think about Salvation? It was suggested by another reviewer and I think it sounds great, but if you have another suggestion, I'm open to it. ^^**

 **Wordlurker: Thank you so much! I'm very glad you liked it! ^^**

 **Monnitar: You're absolutely right, and I'm sorry I didn't realize it sooner. Hela _should've_ known her name sooner. I edited the first chapter now, please check it out and tell me what you think xD **

**PheonixQueen: Thank you so much! Yes, I can't wait too lol. xD**

 **Andorxor: She won't be, I read somewhere that Asgardians age slower but have longer lifespans, so in the time it would take Hela to reach 5000, Earth would already be progressing rapidly in the timeline. Also, this Hela is following canon Hela's age, and since canon Hela is alive in the MCU, TGoD Hela would still be alive too.**

 **Cerue Leanne Dawn: Thank you so much! ^^**

* * *

 **Again, thank you so much for the reviews and for all of your support. Please feel free to keep sharing your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions! ^^**

 **P.S. I edited the first and second chapters because I wasn't satisfied by it. I highly recommend you read it again as it filled the many plot holes I left in the original chapters. Thank you!**


End file.
